Letters on entomology : intended for the amusement and instruction of young persons, and to facilitate their acquiring a knowledge of the natural history of insects

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LETTERS

ENTOMOLOGY,
| agpen FOR THE
AMUSEMENT AND INSTRUCTION
YOUNG PERSONS,
AND TO

FACILITATE THEIR ACQUIRING A KNOWLEDGE
OF THE NATURAL HISTORY OF INSECTS.

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LONDON: .
PRINTED FOR GEO. B. WHITTAKER,

-AVE-MARIA LANE.

1825.

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PREFACE.

Ir is not the intention of the writer of these
letters to offer a system of Entomology, but
merely a short abstract of some of the more
elaborate works on that subject ; which, how-
ever superior in importance, are more calcu-
lated for the scientific student, and often con-
tain details more interesting to the physiologist
than to the juvenile reader. ‘The writer has
therefore endeavoured to avoid the minute-
ness which might render the subject tedious,

* and has only to add, that her information is
- derived from Reaumur’s M emoires, Shaw’s
* Lectures, and that interesting work, the In-
- troduction to Entomology; from which, in

fact, the principal accounts are taken, and in

which the discoveries of other naturalists are

collected in the most attractive form.

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CONTENTS.

Page
LETTER I.— INTRODUCTORY : ‘ 1
LETTER II.—INJURIOUS INSECTS . , a
LETTER III.—BENEFICIAL INSECTS .
LETTER IV.—INSECTS IN GENERAL.
BUTTERFLIES, &c. . ‘ oe
LETTER V.—THE FUR-MOTH . - . ol
LETTER VI.—BEES ; : . 68
LETTER VII.— BEES ; : me: GB
LETTER VIII.—ANTS } ; TREY
LETTER IX.—ANTS . ; E ; > 88
LETTER X.—ANTS . é 3 - 102
LETTER XI.—FLIES . , i * hey
LETTER XII.—BEE-FLIES . ‘ me be
LETTER XIII.—LUMINOUS INSECTS . . 138

LETTER XIV.—THE COCHINEAL INSECT, &c. 142
LETTER XV.—IN CONCLUSION, EARWIGS,
SPIDERS, FORNICA-LEO ‘ - 148

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ON

=% “ENTOMOLOGY.

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LETTER I.

MY DEAR HARRIET,

Ir has often he me great con-
cern to observe the inconsiderate and negligent
manner in which you treat, and even torment,

J dp most beautiful part of the creation, the tribe
of insects, and particularly as your disposition is

| foreign to any thing like cruelty ; you have
fore, my dear, no excuse, but ignorance of

their value and beauty, or mere thought-
_lessness, which, in a ae li is of itself
“inexcusable. ; Pp.

In 1e course of our correspondence, I will en-

s deavour, if you wish it, to impart the little know-
ledge I have on the subject, and it may perhaps
induce you to treat with greater regard, beings

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9 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

which are sometimes more useful than. many
people, who pass their lives in idleness or trifling
occupations. hag)» 2

You may perhaps, like some others, consider
the study of this part of natural history of x a
importance, and as a frivolous amusemen Taal
though I should wish you to find it
yet it has a higher object, —to excite ae
of the power of the great Author of so many
wonders. Can we consider any thing trifling,
- unworthy our regard, which it has pleased the
Supreme Being to endow with such infinite
variety of beauty and usefulness? If men had
not long ago Wwetghes the habits, and taken ad-
vantage of the labour of insects, we should have
wanted many of the luxuries and comforts we
now enjoy. Who would ‘have believed that b
caterpillar, so small as the silkworm, could. fur- _
nish one of the greatest articles of c
and give occasion to so many different arts
manufactures, enabling thousands: of people to
live by honest industry ? it

Honey and wax are without doubt most useful
to us, and we should never have had them a if
men had not observed bees in their wild state,
and made their peculiar habits subservient to
their own use, by bringing them into hives...

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. ye LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 3

, # Gum lac, of which sealing-wax is. made, is
| produced by a winged ant; and cochineal, of
which, there is af great a consumption, is an
insect which Yaeltiplies very fast. Even the
of ine I now write with, I principally owe to an |
et which forms the Galls of which it is made ; >
_one of the most ancient and singular uses
ever Made of Pe, labour of insects, is that of
ripening figs in the Greek islands, and eilies
a tern countries, wher e the harvest of that fruit
a f great consequence to the: people. They
Swi kinds of fig-trees, the Pal and the
vie sort. The wild tree bears fruit many
times in the year, and in them grubs are born,
which turn to flies. ese flies are considered
‘nécessary to the ripening of the garden figs,
hich fate fall before their maturity, if
pins ‘insects do. not pierce them at the proper
time. In the fhobths of June and July, the
| wanes people gather wild figs, and stringing
Po them on straws or sticks, place th am on the
tes fig-trees. _They take great care every
i to look for the wild figs ready for gather-

x ie isp hen a. a is ready to come out, and
so, to shale Bien the other trees are pro-

perly ripe ; for if the transfer is not made at the
wo right time, the garden figs will fall. This custom
B2

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8
4 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. —
is evidently established by lnaygroerignet aR :

the peasants anxiously watehall est of the
year, whether the wild figs will be li

produce flies in time, and. the r
__ determines the harvest of fruit. Inde«
‘cessary are these insects, that if they fi
people have but one resource, whichis,
over the trees a common plant called the
lombros, the fruit of which contains. flies fit for it
the purpose. opti ai (out 1q99

The ancients used many kinds. of. insects,
medicine, but I shall only mention ae
tharides or blister-fly, which is so nach in many ys
disorders. dis agin? caper it Roaduchrs

Now, my dear Harriet, let us change pins
and consider the variety of mischief they m
do us, if we do not know how. to guard tir 8
them, which we shall not fut easy, » unless, - we Ba
previously know something of their habits and
nature. A great number ravage not only our
fields and | gardens, but our houses, our furniture,
and our garments ; they do not even spare our
persons ; yet we are not to be alarmed, or fancy
ourselves sadly aggrieved, if they 1 make Pes |
the weapons given them for their just. defence
for they have certainly, as much right to live as
ourselves, and those who wantonly destroy them

,* & Si :
. » “LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 5
us
~~ commit a manifest act of. oppression, which we
Ry should the height of cruelty if performed
upon any of the human species by a being suf-"
~~ ficiently powerful. herefore I would not wish
YOu to: ‘destroy those which are merely trouble-
‘ 8 many thoughtless people do, who would
Roniider it very inyust if they were punished in
the same way.
In Europe, insects are seldom dangerous,
except from their number, and in that ease they
“must be destroyed speedily ; however, the harm-
— s dess) kinds are by far the most common, and there
ors is great amusement to be derived from rearing
_and observing them, for no species of animal un-
‘dergoes such astonishing changes, or is endowed
with such curious instincts. What a surprising
difference is there between the crawling voracious
Sf caterpillar, and the volatile’ splendid butterfly,
which can in many instances live without food,
and. is always content with the small deer of
honey contained in flowers !
There is nothing more interesting than to ob-
serve their domestic habits, if I may so express
ayself, and the different manner in which they
care of their little families. Even those
who are most disgusted with the appearance of
‘@ spider, would be pleased to see the species

6 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. é

which envelops its eggs in a little silken wie |

which it always carries about, and when the
young ones come out, they climb on their mother’s
back and cling fast, let her run ever | so swiftly.
The bees, and some kinds of wasps, feed their
young many times a day like birds ; an others
place their eggs in cells, which they make of
earth, and shut them up with a sufficient quantity
of food to last till they attain eels ase ct
Some insects havea tender and te
which could not withstand the friction and

chafing it would. be exposed to, and therefore _

nature teaches them to make real garments, some
of wool, some of silk, and others of leaves. and
different substances ; some make them longer and
larger as they increase in size, and others make
ENT: ORME, 2 re? Saotoetb

I remember seeing on a vine in the green-
house, a singular whitish insect’ with six legs,
bearing a roof of particles of mortar and earth
seemingly combined with some glutinous’ sub-
stance, and the little creature ran briskly along
under its load, completely covered and wetenda

If you find the subject amusing, I will con.
tinue my eaerern eye soon; till then adieu.

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* LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 7
gudlievethh oR,
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sitelehest Keen :

, MY DEAR einai od ith:

Se) "As it is a common error to sup-

| pose'that because things are small, they are of no

_ importance, and as perhaps you may be of this
opinion, T will endeavour to convince you that
it is ‘wrong ; and therefore I will tell you some
Of the ‘Zarm they can do when permitted. If
they had no checks, we, and all the larger ani-
mals; should soon be driven from the earth, and
insects’ of all kinds reign paramount. This is
no exaggeration, as ‘you will perceive, when I
-disclose but a small part of their eer
powers. lesan
~ Nothing is free from them—neither the cun-
ning, the swiftness, the strength, the ferocity,
nor the bulk of animals can protect them; even
man himself is ‘sometimes their prey. They are
often ‘swallowed, and, living in the inside, cause
mortal diseases. Some people have even been
devoured alive, as it were, by swarms of mites,
for which there was no remedy. Among ou
personal assailants we may notice the red Acarus,

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8 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. ?

mentioned by Ulloa, common in Popayan, called
coya, or coyba, the venom of which is'so malig-
nant, that if it is only crushed on the skin, it
penetrates the flesh and raises large tumours,

which are soon followed by death 3; it is de- .
scribed as much smaller than a bug. =) -

As to the fly tribe, you will not deny
power of becoming a real plague. What would
you think of any large animal coming to attack
you with a tremendous apparatus of knives and
lancets issuing from its mouth? Yet the horse-
fly, and many others which have instruments
resembling all kinds of murderous weapons, at-
tack you, and, forming ‘a siphon or pump of
them, suck your blood with the greatest voracity.
Of all these little torments, the gnat species is
the worst. They may be truly said to have their
sting in the mouth, since the pain and swelling
of the bite show that they inject poison. This
weapon is composed of five pieces besides the
sheath, some of which appear simply lancets,
while others are barbed like a bee’s sting, and
are adapted both for making the wound, and
forming a siphon to draw out the blood.

Although with us, they are rather
than absolutely injurious, yet when they come

in great numbers they are a true plague. In a

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4 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 9

“year: 1766, in the month of August, they ap-
peared in: such i@oredibldtaitabedts nto Oxfaildl
as tolresemble a black cloud darkening the air.
One day a little before sunset, Py columns were
observed to sancienich from the boughs of an apple
“'e some in a perpendicular and others in an
a que direction, to'the height of fifty or sixty
feet Their bite was so poisonous that it was
“attended by violent and alarming inflammation,
~‘andzone; when killed, usually contained as much
blood as would cover three — ayers ‘inches
cofewalletes: Steins 15 Tage rec
oe abana tnitiagimee the most to be pitied!
: heyy re obliged to live in suffocating smoke,
d -eat-or sleep, and the insects abound
Sipe sinaltinat they cannot breathe without draw-
ing’ them in. Reaumur tells us that in some
parts, of France ir. saw people whose legs
sand arms Were go! swelled and inflamed with
sognatebites, that it was doubtful whether am-
omar ot be necessary. In the neigh-
the Crimea, the Russian soldiers
2 to sleep in sacks, to defend them
from the mos itos ; and en then, many die in
> uence’ o nortification | produced by the
8 of thee farions and blood-thirsty insects.

Drv Clarke, who: Rate it likewise, says, that in
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10 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

spite of gloves; clothes, and handkerchiefs, his
body, ‘and those of his companions, -vere™ ‘ren

dered one entire wound, and that the irritation
and swelling i anae a considerable degree of
fever. In a most sultry night, when not a breath
of air was stirring, exhausted by fatigue, pain,
and heat, he sought shelter in his ; carriage, 2
though almost suffocated, dared not open’ the
window. Swarms nevertheless got i and, in
spite of the handker chiefs with which he had
bound up his head, filled “his ‘mouth, nostrils,
and ears. In the midst of his torment’ he lighted
a lamp, which was extinguished i in ease by
rcasses

such a prodigious number, that their’
filled the glass ao and lay inal

over the burner. Can you conceive a

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disagreeable he tormenting situation ?—Captain %

Stedman says, that in America, his soldiers were
obliged to sleep Rh their ‘oid thrust into holes
in the earth, and their necks wra’ ed round with —
their hammocks. Humboldt fin us that “tg
tween the little harbour of Higuerote, and the
mouth of the Rio Unare, the retched inhabit- _
ants are accustomed to stretch’ th: emselves on the 4.
ground, and’ pass the night b in the
three or four ‘inches deep, leaving out the »

only, which they cover with a “Hinndkeraet ©

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LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. ‘Bi

We likewies learn from him that there are three
kinds: the Mosquitos, flying in the day; the
Temporaneros, flying in the twilight; and the
Zancudos, in the night; so that these unfortunate
beings have no respite from their tormentors,
which make almost uninhabitable all places where
they particularly abound. After this account we
cannot be surprised that they have given their
€ names to bays, towns, and countries. There is
Mosquito Bay, in St. Christopher’s ; the town of
Mosquitos, in Cuba ; and the Mosquito country,

PS wie North America; ; which are sufficient and me-

~— lancholy proofs of their importance. Of all in-

sects the . a is the most. celebrated, for its

we ee destruction, and seanted more than

;

an army of wild beasts ; yet thi , insect is not
* large, and is only herbivorous. ‘igure to. your-
self a country so covered that the ground cannot
be seen; all its produce devoured, and not the
m least vestige :. a left. In the year of the
world ca was infested by such infinite
myriads of tiles animals that, having devoured
every thing green, they flew off into the sea and
were drowned; where, being cast on the shore,
they emitted a ‘stench greater than could have —
‘been caused by the carcases of an army. St.
gt es mentions a pla e arising from the

12 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

same cause, which destroyed not less than 800,000
persons in the kingdom of Masinissa alone, and
many more near the shore.

A historian quoted by Mouffet, relates that
in the year 591, an infinite number of locusts,
unusually large, ravaged part of Italy, and being
at length cast into the sea, their stench caused a
‘pestilence which carried off near a million of
- men and beasts. The same occurrence e is said to
have taken place i in the Venetian territory, though
to a smaller extent. They have even reached ‘as
far as France, and in 1748 they webeypbsany elie
in England, with great alarm, but providentially
they soon perished. ‘These were evidently the
stragglers from the vast swarms which in thes *
year before ravaged Wallachia, Moldavia, Tran-
sylvania, Hungary, and Poland. One of these |
swarms which entered Transylvania, in August,
was several hundred fathoms in width (at Vienna
the breadth of one was three miles), and extended
so far, as to be four hours in passin over the
Red Tower; and such was its denethyaghat. it
darkened the air to so great a degree, that when
they flew low, a person could not see another at
twenty paces! Can we wonder at their being -
objects of terror, when the very. account of them
is enough to make one shudder? A gentleman

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; LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. _ 13

in India saw the immense army of locusts, which’
ravaged the Mahratta country. The column ex-
tended near five hundred miles, and darkened .
the: ‘sun so much- that no shadow was cast by any
) » This was a’ red species, which made it
still. more horrible; for’after they had stripped
the’ trees; they clustered upon them, giving to
every thing a sanguine hue. £ .
% Of the-noise they make, and their terrific ap-
pearance, the prop 1et Joel has given a correct
and sublime’ description: “ A day of darkness
and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick
darkness, as the: morning spread upon the moun- .
tains: a great people anda strong: there hath
te: not been even the like, neither shall be any more
after it, even to the years of many generations.
A fire devoureth before them, and behind them
a flame burneth: the land i is as the garden of
Eden before them, and behind them is a desolate
wilderness ; yea, and nothing sal escape them.
_ Like the noise chariots on the tops of moun-
"tains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of
fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong peo-
‘ple set in battle array. Before their faces the
. e shall be much pained: all faces shall
blackness. - ‘They shall run like mighty
men they shall climb the wall like men of —

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14 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

‘war, and they shall march every one in his
ways, and they shall not break their ranks ;
neither shall one thrust another, they shall walk
every one in his path: and when they fall upon
the sword they shall not be wounded... They
shall run to and fro in the city ; they shall run
upon the wall; they shall climb up upon the
houses ; they shall enter in at the windows like
a thief. The earth shall quake before them, the
heavens shall tremble: the sun and moon shall
be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their
shining!” He further says, “I will remove
far off from you the northern army, and will
drive him into a land barren and desolate, with
his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part
toward the utmost sea; and his stink shall come
up, and his ill savour shall come up because he
hath done great things.”

Locusts usually migrate from sof to north,
passing from the deserts of Arabia, which is the

‘great cradle of them, to Palestine, Syria, Car- ot
mania, Natolia, Bithynia, Wr A 9 ‘Po

land, &c. - oe

Can we ever be sufficiently thankful, my dea
friend, that we are not visited by this terrible
scourge? If we had once felt the consequences,
‘we should doubtless be more sensible of our

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¥ LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 15

Be

is happiness in living in a country where eva
evil of the kind is comparatively slight; yet even
here whole crops are sometimes destroyed by
c. other insects. That most important plant, wheat,
has many assailants ; one of the earliest is a grub
“which. eats into the plant, ‘about an inch below
ace of the earth, devouring the middle,
8 which soon kills the plant. The larve of a
| purticular kind of beetle cause great destruction
ina similar manner ; and, not content with this,
- whe beetle itself afterwards attacks, by
night, the grain when in the ear. The far
famed Hessian Sly which spreads such dismay
fs wherever ea and made such ravages in
North America that it threatened the total de-
struction of the culture of wheat, was erroneously
‘supposed to have been carried there from Ger-
many by some Hessian soldiers. It commences
its operations in edtumn ee soon as the plant
begins to SPP raeaove ground, when it devours
om and stem with equal voracity, until
stopped by the frost. When spring returns, the
ty appears again and deposits its eggs in the
~*~” heart of the main , which it perforates, and
J so weakens, that the ear begins to grow
he. heavy and is about to pass into the milky state, it
breaks we aes — 1% crops, as far

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« Bie. ol LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

a they extended their flight, fell before them.
They first appeared in Long Island, from whence
they proceeded inland at the rate of fifteen or
twenty miles annually. Nothing intercepts their
career ; they were seen to cross the Delaware
like a clthid and their numbers were so great,
that in the wheat harvest, five hundréd¥ ;
counted -in a single glass tumbler, oxpulll to
them a few minutes with some beer in it. _

laid up in the barn or granary, the grain is often
attacked by the Weevil, in its peas well as
grub state; and this pest increases ineredibly,
for a single one will produce in one yest 6000

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descendants. a * .
Another very destructive species to plants in
general (and whiene indeed, comes next to the
locusts), are the aphides, or plant-lice, which
multiply so prodigiously as to cause great injury.
In five generations one aphis may ‘produce
5,904,900,000 descendants, and Reaumur ‘sup-
poses that in one year there i ag be twent:
nerations. Pease and beans are greatly i injur dby .

them, and in the year 1810, the produce was not | .

much more than the see “sown: however, by

a)

being sown earlier, the aa thved some ne,

of escaping.
' How dull ould beautiful siacaeni look

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y if stript_ mere green carpet! but they would

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of it, if their. despoilers were
ae to all like some other insects.
The larve of the. cockchafer (scarabeus melo-~
lontha)s which remain in this state four years,

rt omet nies dest whole acres of grass. The
oe a oy gr y

* '

e the richest meadows, and loosen the

much, that it will roll up as if cut by a

e. These grubs did so much injury about
seventy years ago to a poor farmer near Norwich,
that the court of that city, out of compassion,
allowed him £25 ; ; and the man and his servant

_ declared they had abner eighty bushels of the
beetle. They do not confine themselves to grass,

but eat also x come, of corn; and it is to pick

up this grub, of which swine are likewise very
pendithat the rooks follow the plough.

I supp yO, will exclaim, What! is there

defence against all these little de-

stroyers? I fear there are not many very effectual

a I was amused at the plan of Mr. Rod-
of Barham Hall, whose wheat-fields were

~ vavaged. by a-small gray slug. Having heard

sage area had pega successfully employed 1 to

the sh om. wheat, e had the land
_ strewed with sliced turn ips, : the next morn-
ing the poor little aes ry in the
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MY rota wénnres,' a rh :
ae ot I cannot beagee this letter
Fhe than by qésting the words of the author
of the Introduction to Entomology: « God, in all
the evil which he permits to take place, whether
, moral, or natural, has the ultimate good
¥ We eatures i in view. The evil that we suffer
waneaek counter-check, which restrains us from
sreater evil, or a spur to stimulate -us to good :
we should therefore consider every thing not ac-
Cordi to the Pas sensations of pain, or the
‘present Joss or injury that it occasions, but ac-

el nh a

cording to its more general, remote, and per- »

manent effects and bearings ; ;—whether by it we
“ate not impelled to the practice of many virtues,
“which otherwise might lie dormant in us—
whether our moral habits are not improved—

whether we me mat it more prudent,

, and ; more watchful to prevent —

ae ore ingenious and ckilful to remedy its

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and whether our higher faculties are ndeBro

more into play, and our mental bower re
vigorated, by the ‘meditation | id | experiment s

necessary to seciire ourselves. Viewed in these
lights, what was at first regarded as yinade

‘@

up of evil, may be discovered to contain a con- |

siderable proportion of good.” © GENy

A few facts will convince us or: the justice of
these remarks. In countries where vegetation is
luxuriant, even the locusts are of use’to Clear
the superabundance of some individual species.
Sparrman remarks, that a reetei which had been

choked up by shrubs, perennial plants, and hard,

half-withered and unpalatable grasses, after being
made bare by these scourges, soon appears in a
far more beautiful dress, clothed with new herbs,
-superb lilies, and fresh annual grasses, and young
juicy shoots of the perennial kind, affording de-
licious herbage for the wild cattle and game. ?

When in moderate numbers, the grubs, whi¢h
feed upon grass, only devour so much as to make
room for new shoots, and consequently hinder
the roots from being matted. There are many
‘similar instances, but the ways in which they are
most beneficial to us, are by 3 removing all dead
and decaying substances ; supplying food ad
i ful animals, as fish and birds; and de’

ds

“eg

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—
RS ON El (OLOGY. ~ QT
vf
ai Tons thlesbigaalli

7 become -
e sae scene would ant of Nature pre-
f sent, if Providence had not provided for the res
_moval, numberless dead carcasses which
# would strew the earth, “ee cause the most fatal
De sedimbatiaginie:cuGiall As edit.’ ae, dike departs,
_ the carcass is: attacked by myriads of insects. |
_ The Histers pierce the skin ; next the flesh-flies
it with their young, already hatched, and @% .
millions of eggs: how y quickly these grubs will
— des} we may judge, -when we consider
on one. flesh-fly will lay 20,000 eggs, and the
will deygar enough, in twenty-four hours
mak e their weigh increase two hundredfold !
an.you imagine such little gluttons ? Linneus
asserts, th at three of these flies will devour a dead
orse as. ast as a lion would, and it seems very —
likely. ha The beetles come next ; wasps, hornets,
even ¢ ants: 2 horns of animals have a par-
ticular species of insect which inhabit and rm :
upon them. 1G 22s
necroph us isemillaa or nantes
inter, the bodies of smal animals even. of the
sasistapige and frogs. , Gleditsch put four of
pects: in glass pat half, filled with
properly erned, and upon the earth

:

Bs

ab - :

22 . i ao ss
he placed two frogs. In less than twelve hours one
of the frogs was buried by two of the beetles ; the
other two-ran about the whole day, asif busied in
measuring the dimensions of the remaining corpse,

~ which on the third day was also found: buried.
He then. put in a dead linnet, and a painjgom %
began, by throwing the earth from under it, and
pulling at the feathers from below. The male

haying driyen the female away, continued the 4

_ work for five hours, digging. Ma at =

he te

4

mounting on it to tread it down, then

below to pull it down. At last, quite tire

came. out and leaned its head beside the sa

upon ‘the earth for a full hour, and. then:

set to work. In two days the bird was.c

pletely buried. The object of these industrious

insects is by this means, to. procure food for their
young; for if the bodies are dug up in about

six days, they will be found swarming with

maggots. M. Gleditsch continued to add other

small dead: animals, | which were all sooner or

later buried; and the result of his experiment

was, that in fifty days four beetles had int

in the very small spacprot earth allotted to ther,

twelve carcasses: viz. four frogs, three small

_ birds, two fishes, one cell and. two grassh

besides the entrails of a fish, and two widllan ot

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RS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 23:

the lungs of an ox. Is not this surprising? It
is no that the male should partake
the labour with the female, which in the insect
world is a very rare occurrence.

i Nothin is more unwholesome than the effluvia
of. decaying vegetable matter, and in removing

this, our little friends render us an important

service. It is very curious that stagnant water,
which would become putrid without, is viade

sweet and wholesome by the innumerable larve

of gnats, ephemere, and other insects which

in it. Linnzus’s experiment easily proves
‘a: if two vessels are filled with putrid water,
leaving the larve in one, and taking them out
of the other, the first. will be found pure and

, and the other will - ain in its impure m
The wood-destroying insects are highly

“useful in countries avery? with immense
forests, where lightning andhurricanes make such
devastation ; yet no traces of the ruin are to be
found, though some of dlaigantic tropical trees
are almost impervious to as of the ele-
ments. They, however, ‘$00 disappear under
the destroying operation of insects. As <i as
a tree falls, one tribe attacks its bark, and thou-
sands of holes are bored into the trunk by others.
The rain is apis access, and assists the decay.

. 43

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24 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.
40 a. too

Mr. Smeathman tells us, that the Termites will
in a few weeks destroy and carry away | the trunks |
of large trees, without leaving a particle behind ;
and in places where two or three years before
there has been a populous town, if the inhabit-
ants have abandoned it, there will be a very thick
wood, and oa a vestige ofa post to be seen. —

You may “easily i imagine that if these kinds of
insects: though so useful in some Cases, were
permitted to increase very much, we should
not have even a gate or a post; but they
kept in due bounds by the number of aa
which mgke, them their prey. “Some are ‘i in-
sectivor ous only i in the larva state, others only it in
the perfect state, others in both States, and others
in all three. The parasitical insects feed upon
the living creature, and only destroy” it when
- they attain their full growth; the imparasitical *
ones are those which prey upon dead insects, or
kill them. The most beneficial of the 1308 ace
are those which devour the aphides or plant-
lice. The larva ae beautiful fly 3 is one which
has a a pair of long oked mandibles perforated,
aaa serving instead of a mouth; with these it
suche the aphides without mercy, and the in-
dividuals of one species even clothe themselyes
in the skins of their victims. Another grub,

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 25

~

furnished with a linger mandible like a trident
with its three points, lies on the leaf of a twig
‘covered with the aphides, and groping about,
soon finds one, which he transfixes with this
trident, raises into the air and devours; thus
rendering a great service to the tree, which,
when cleared of its destructive visitors, is enabled
to put forth new shoots. The most important,
however, 1 is the pretty little lady-bird, or coc-
cinella, which, in the larva state, feeds entirely
on the aphides, which, under the name of the fly,
cause so much damage to the hops. In 1807
the shore at Brighton, and at all the watering-
places on the south coast, was literally covered
with them, to the great surprise of the inhabit-
ants, who did not know that they came from
the neighbouring hop-grounds, where they had
done good service in their larva state.

The parasitical insects all lay their eggs in
living subjects, in the larve, the pupe, and even
in the egg; but none are known to do it in
perfect insects. This numerous race are called
ichneumon flies, from their analogy to the Egyp-
tian ichneumon, which was supposed to destroy
the serpents, and eat the crocodile’s eggs. These
flies have a long pointed tail, with which they
pierce a hole sufficiently deep for the egg, and it

c

26 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

is in vain the victim seeks to avoid the fatal
wound ; the merciless fly does not leave it till
she has deposited a sufficient number of eggs,
and the poor caterpillar is forced to carry about
her mortal enemies, which feed on her inside but
never touch her vitals, though they are frequently
in great numbers.

Of thirty cabbage caterpillars which Reaumur
put into a glass to feed, twenty-five were fatally
pierced by an ichneumon ; from which we may
judge of the great destruction of these injurious
insects, which if suffered to increase, would
become as great a plague as the locusts, and
indeed have frequently been known to do serious
damage.

I cannot here enumerate all the species which
prey upon each other, but I will mention some
of the principal among those which devour the
perfect insect. Ants, wasps, and hornets, are,
among others, distinguished in this sanguinary
or rather warlike respect; an ant will carry
away a bee many times bigger than itself, and
has even, with the help of its comrades, been
seen to drag a young snake as thick as a goose- -
quill. A young lady told me she once saw a
battle between a wasp and a bee, in which the
former bit off all her enemy’s six legs. Where

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ERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 27

abound and are a great nuisance,
ants: ee very useful in clearing them
fantes, which are the most terrible
and ferocious of insects (though from their ap-
pearing to sit almost upright they are called
praying-flies), have their fore-legs constructed
like a sabre, and they dexterously use them as
such to cleave their enemy in reer cut off its
head, often treating each other in this way. I
believe these alarming little soldiers are not found
in England. The scorpion is equally ferocious.
Maupertuis put a hundred scorpions together,
and 4 general and murderous battle immediately
began. In a few days almost all were devoured
by the survivors. They frequently eat their
young as soon as born. Spiders are almost as
fierce in their habits, destroying each other in
great numbers. ¥
Many animals feed upon insects ; the hedge-
hog and mole are insectivorous, the latter being
said to devour great quantities of the wire-
worms. The swine are extremely fond of the
grubs of the cockchafers, and if the grass is
damaged by them, the rooting of it up will per-
haps do more good than harm. The Ratel eats
bees, and the Armadillo, locusts; but the great
Ant-eater is most dgserving:, of notice, for he
c2

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28 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.
RATT ASE

scratches up “the ant-hill with ot Rees claws,
and putting in his tongue, which is more than
two feet in length, draws it back into his mouth
when covered with ants, thus devouring thou-
sands at a mouthful. Fish live almost entirely
on insects, principally on the larve of many
kind of flies, called Caddis worms, and the perfect
May-flies and Ephemere. Reaumur has given an
account of the immense hosts of these last insects,
which come from some of the rivers in France
at certain seasons, in thousanade? of ‘millions, or
rather in countless numbers ; they a are aquatic i in
their first and second states, which last sometimes
two or three years, though the perfect state As
extremely short, some coming out after st sv nset,
laying their eggs, and dying before sunrise, or
often in a few hours. Reaumur. did not se see
them till the middle of August, when, one even-
ing before sunset, he got into his boat, and having
detached some large masses of earth from the
bank of the river, filled with the pupe, he put
chem into a urge tub of water and waited the
(which was the time specified) only a few flies
skimming about the water ; having waited pa-
tiently till near eight o’clock, and a storm coming
on, he retreated to his garden quite disappointed.

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 29
He, however, had the tub brought ; and no sooner
was it set in, than a great number of ephemerz
came out, and while by torchlight | he was enjoy-
ing t the sight, the threatened storm burst forth,
and forced him to re-enter the house; after having
thrown a cloth over the tub. When the rain
ceased, he returned to the garden about nine
o ‘clock, where a magnificent spectacle awaited
him. Attract d by the exclamations of his gar-
dener, he descended to the river. The quantity
of ephemer which filled the air above the river
was incouceivably great, but principally round
‘the spot where he stood. In a few minutes the
step on which he stood was covered with them
to the depth of two, three, and four inches, and
five ¢ or six feet of water was quite hidden by
them ; and being carried down by the current,
“they 1 were quickly replaced. He was often
obliged to retreat from this pelting rain of in-
sects, which we may easily imagine to be ex-
tremely disagreeable, as they got into his eyes,
nose, and mouth.

He remarks on the singularity of the pita
attraction of light to insects which are born to
live only in darkness. The ephemere instantly
gathered round and covered those who held the
flambeaux, which then showed quite a different

30 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

spectacle, and filled with admiration even the
most ignorant and stupid of his domestics: the
light was surrounded with a great number of
brilliant circles, formed by rows of ephemerz,
having the appearance of a scolloped line of
silver, whirling round with great rapidity. Every
ene of these flies having made one or two circles,
fell on the ground. At near ten o’clock this
great cloud had almost disappeared. They had
laid their eggs, and closed their transitory exist-
ence.—I cannot finish my letter without giving
you the animated and poetical description of a
similar scene, from the Introduction to Ento-
mology. | |
« T was so fortunate as to witness a spectacle
of this kind, which afforded me a more sublime
gratification than any work or exhibition of art
has power to communicate. The first was in
181] :—taking an evening walk near my house,
when the sun, declining fast towards the horizon,
shone forth without a cloud, the whole atmo-
sphere over and near the stream swarmed with
infinite myriads of ephemere and little gnats of
the genus Chironomus, which, in the sunbeam,
appeared as numerous and more lucid than the
drops of rain, as if the heavens were showering
down brilliant gems. Afterwards, in the follow-

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 31

ing year, one Sunday, a little before sunset, I
was enjoying a stroll, with a friend, at a greater
distance from the river, when, in a field by the
road side, the same pleasing scene was renewed,
but in a style of still greater magnificence ; for,
from some cause in the atmosphere, the insects
at a distance looked much larger than they really
were. The choral dances consisted principally
of ephemerz, but there were also some of chi-
ronomi ; the former, however, being most con-
spicaous, attracted our chief attention—alter-
appeared 6 cransplne aie the,full, beam they
scarcely resembled any thing material—they re-
minded us of angels and glorified spirits drink-
ing, life and joy in the effulgeace of the Divine
favour.”

The bard of Twickenham, from the terms in
hich the beautiful description of his sylphs is
conceived in The Rape of the Lock, seems to have
witnessed the pleasing scene here described :

~~ & Some to the sun their insect wings unfold,
Waft on the breeze, or sink in clouds of gold ;
Transparent forms, too fine for mortal sight,
Their fiuid bodies half dissolved in light ;
Loose to the wind their airy garments flew,
Thin glittering texture of the filmy dew,

32 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

Dipt in the richest tincture of the skies,

Where light disports in eyer-mingling dyes ;

While every beam new transient colours brings,
Colours that change, whene’er they wave their wings.”

I shall conclude my letter by wishing you an
opportunity of seeing this delightful spectacle, _
which generally occurs in September. “Adieu.”

Te as

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cciysrgeeg Eh

SGiti sileed 9 is eccimsmod

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 33

LETTER IV.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

3 I must endeavour to give you some
idea of the peculiar characters which distinguish
the class of insects from other animals. First,
they are furnished with several feet, not fewer
than six (for those butterflies which appear to
have only four legs, have also two false ones),
and sometimes with a great many. Secondly,
their flesh is affixed to the imternal surface of
their skin. Thirdly, they breathe not by lungs
or gills, but by a sort of spiracles or breathing
holes, situated at certain distances along each
side of the body; and lastly, the head is ge-
nerally furnished with a peculiar pair of pro-
cesses, called Antenne, or jointed horns, which
vary extremely, but are equally important organs
to all.

Linnzus divides all insects into seven orders ;
Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, Neuroptera,
Hymenoptera, Diptera, and Aptera. Coleoptera
contains all insects of the beetle tribe, or such

c5

34 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

as have strong horny sheaths (elytra) or covers
to their wings, which are curiously folded un-
derneath. Hemiptera consists of half-winged in-
sects, which have wing-sheaths of a tough and
strong substance at the upper part, and soft or
membranaceous at the lower, and the real or
under wings are often of great size, and plaited
longitudinally, in the manner of a fan. This
order contains all the insects of the locust and
grasshopper tribe ; the cockroaches, the lantern-
flies, the Cicade, and many others. The common
earwig is an example of it. Lepidoptera, the
most splendid and conspicuous of all orders,
consists of the scaly-winged insects ; butterflies
and moths belong to this order, being covered,
not with feathers, as it was supposed, but small
feathery or hairy scales. Neuroptera consists of
such as have four large wings, furnished with
very conspicuous nerves, fibres, or ramifications
dispersed over the wing. This order is ex-
emplified in dragon-flies, May-flies, and others.
The celebrated ephemera also belongs to it.
Hymenoptera consists of insects with four mem-
branaceous wings, but not remarkably fibrous
like the former. It contains all the wasp and
bee tribe; the ichneumons and a variety of
others. Diptera consists of two-winged insects,

ee

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 35

as the race of flies, or musca, strictly so called,
and gnats, with a great variety of others. Aptera
is the last order, and comprises wingless insects.
It consists, according to Linneus, of the crab
and lobster tribe, of spiders, scorpions, centi-
pedes, monoculi, mites, and many others.
Insects pass through four states: the egg, the
larva, the pupa, or chrysalis, and the imago, or
perfect state. You need not be told what the
first is. _The second, is when they first leave the
egg and are like soft worms. Linnzus calls this
the larva state, and we have given it different
names according to the species, as caterpillars,
which are the larve of the butterfly or moth ;
maggots or grubs, which belong to the fly and
beetle tribes, &c. In this state, during which
they eat voraciously, and cast their skins several
times, they remain different periods, some a few
days, and others years. They cease eating, and
fix themselves in a secure place, their skin sepa-
rates, and discloses an oblong body, and thus
they have attained the third stage of their ex-
istence, which is called the pupa or chrysalis.
It is not a general rule that they do not eat in
this state, for a considerable number, as locusts,
cockroaches, bugs, spiders, &c. not only greatly

te
36 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

resemble the’ perfect insect) inform, but»are
equally capable of eating: and moving.
After remaining a certain time (some species
only a few hours, while others remain months
or one or more years in this state), the perfect
insect bursts its case and enters on the last stage
of its existence.) 9) iiewordt on

Look at the elegant and volatile ulna!
which seems born: but to flutter’ in: the»sun-
beams, and regale itself with the pure nectar of
flowers. It did not come into the world:as you
now behold it. At its first exclusion from the
egg, and for some months of its existence after-
wards, it was a wormlike caterpillar, crawling
‘upon sixteen short legs, greedily devouring leaves
with two jaws, and seeing by: means of twelve
eyes, so minute as to be nearly imperceptible.
_ You now see it furnished with large wings ; ten
of its legs have disappeared, and the remaining
six are quite unlike the former ones; its jaws
have vanished, and are replaced by a curled up
trunk or proboscis, capable only of sipping
liquid sweets: the form of its head is entirely
changed, two long horns project from its upper
surface, and instead of twelve minute eyes you
behold two, very large, and composed of at least

ao]

-

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 37

twenty thousand convex lenses, each supposed
to be a distinct and effective eye. Ido not mean
that you should think this change, a transforma-
tions It: is in fact nothing but,a series of de-
velopments, for every different skin; and future
form of the insect are enclosed. in the caterpillar
who throws them off as the parts. expand. » This
may be perceived by dissection; the wings,
rolled up inte a sort of cord, are between the
first}and second segment of the caterpillar ; the
antenne (or horns) and trunk are coiled up in

-front:of the»head, and the legs are sheathed in

those of the caterpillar.

» 1» Some caterpillars pass the winter in their own
form ; they either make or find retreats, where
they remain in‘a torpid state. Some bury them-
selves at a considerable depth, and others re-
main in*plants and trees; these generally as-
semble in numbers under a silken covering.
There are even some kinds of butterflies which
live through the winter in a torpid state, from

y which they may be roused by heat. To enume-
rate all the different kinds would be impossible,

therefore we must content ourselves with some
of the most curious. The green and brown cab-
-bage caterpillar feeds only at night, and lives
underground in the day, though it is sometimes

38 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

seen out at that time, The great sphinx caters
pillar is extremely beautiful, and appears quite
conscious of the advantage, for it sits almost up-
right, and holds its head in a most conceited
manner. It is of a vivid peagreen, with lilac and
white stripes on the sides, and a curved horn on
the tail. It feeds on the privet, and turns to a
large chrysalis after burying itself deep in the
ground ; in the beginning of July it emerges, a
large handsome moth.

All caterpillars often change their skins, and
frequently come out with quite different ones.
They are not always torpid in the chrysalis state,
for some will spring to a considerable height and
move with great activity. The chrysalis of the |
bombyx dispar (a rare moth), turns round when
touched, with great quickness, but as if fearful
of breaking the thread by which it is suspended,
by constantly twisting in one direction, it turns
back again.

A small brownish chrysalis, which is scareely
a quarter of an inch long, can jump more than —
an inch into the air, which in proportion to its
length is a great height.

I often wondered how the chrysalis that sus-
pends itself by its tail could effect its purpose, till
I had watched its manceuvres repeatedly. Reau- __

6 'e

é

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 39

mur’s description is nearly precise. The first
operation of the caterpillar, when near its change,
is to spin a curious little Wall, or mound, of silk
on the spot it has fixed on, composed of numer-
ous little loops crossing each other. This being
done, it»prepares to suspend itself by its two
hinder feet, which, like the others, are half sur-
rounded by two rows of hooks of different sizes.
The moment it presses these feet against the ball
of silk, they are entangled among the loops.
When they are safely fastened, it puts itself in a
vertical position with the head downwards. It
then bends its body upwards, making the back
convex, and sometimes remains thus half an hour
or more; this, which is often repeated, is to
erack the skin on the back, that the chrysalis
may come forth. The operation generally takes
at least twenty-four hours, and sometimes two
days ; but as soon as the least crack is made, it -
is quickly enlarged by the chrysalis, which swells
its body with an undulating motion till the
_ skin is split far enough to discover the upper
part, which is so much larger than the envelope
it quits, that it is surprising how it could be
contained in it ; but it is the nature of the chry-
salis to grow shorter and wider almost at the
moment of its change. When the upper part is
“ery

40 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY...

all free, the next operation is to slip off the lower.
part towards the tail, and the chrysalis does this ._
by swelling and contracting alternately, which.

pushes the skin gradually down, though some ,
have an additional. assistance in two rows of.

points which incline towards the tail. Thus

aided, it soon pushes. up the skin (for we must. ,
remember the head is downwards), and) it is...
folded in a small packet round the place where,

the two hind feet are fastened. But how,,will,.

the chrysalis disengage the skin, and yet remain. .
suspended ? you may ask ; and indeed it seems.a_.
most perilous situation, but we must remark, ~
that at the time of changing, the chrysalis is”
extremely soft and flexible; the rings or seg- _
ments then perform all the functions of limbs. —

It seizes between the rings a part of the folded
skin, and pressing them together has a fine

support ; then it bends its body and draws it~

entirely from the skin. Next it stretches itself
and seizes, between the rings above those it holds

by, a higher part of the skin, lets go its hold of ‘

the first, and shortens itself again ; then repeats
the movement, till the end of its body touches
the ball of silk, and then it is suspended safely,

for the end of the tail is furnished with a number >
of little hooks. But now having finished all

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. Al

‘these difficult and dangerous manceuvres, it has
still to get rid of the old skin, which it will by no
means suffer to remain: so near, and the means
it wses‘are'singular: It seizes it with part of the
body, which is beyond the hooks, and then gives
itsélf a shake) which throws it violently from side
to side: “It thus pulls at the skin, and the hooks
on’ the feet break or come out of the silk, being
farther’ from the’ centre of’ the motion than its
own hooks. | If the skin does not fall after this,

the Ghtysdlié tests a little, and turns in the enon
ahi +e

oanetsies ovged tc to" repeat four or ive times.
After all this trouble and pains: it resigns itself to
repose for more than twenty ‘days, and then comes
forth a butterfly *. |

Caterpillars have many different modes of de-
, fence against their assailants ; some curl.t them-
selves round as if dead, some walk or rather run
away with amazing swiftness: that of the vine
is remarkable in this respect. Others more
courageously defend themselves by fixing half
their bodies, and moving the other half in every
direction, as if to seize the enemy. Others have

* The caterpillar of the P. Jo, or peacock butterfly,
changes in this manner, and comes out in eleven or twelve
days,

42 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

a kind of passive defence in long stiff hairs;
which quickly breaking and piercing the flesh,
create great inflammation, and smart like the
sting of the nettle. Lesser having touched the
horn of a sphinx caterpillar, it suddenly turned
round its head, and ejected from its mouth agreen,
viscous, and very feetid fluid, which, though he
repeatedly washed his hand with soap and fumed
~ it with sulphur, infected it for two days. The
caterpillars, also, of a particular tribe of saws
flies, when disturbed, eject a drop uid from

the m TMOWUIS amen ae pelt bie:
has the peculiar power of making a sound like
the squeaking of a mouse, which is certainly the
best defence it could have, as few people would
like to touch a squeaking caterpillar. There is a
small brown species which exactly resembles a
dried stick, and holds itself erect like a little
branch ; it is astonishing to see how long it will
hold itself in this position, which, though it ap-
pears painful to us, may be the very reverse to
the insect.

The maggot of the cheese, which turns to a
black shining fly, takes amazing leaps: Swam-
merdam saw one, only a quarter of an inch long,
jump in this manner from a box six inches in
depth ; which is in the same proportion of height

i
LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 43

as if a man six feet high should jump into the air

144 feet! He had seen others leap still higher.

_ Butterflies come out in the spring, and attain

their full size in a very short time. This order,
which is designated lepidoptera, consists of but-
terflies, hawk-moths, and moths, which are di-
stinguished from each other chiefly by the form
of their horns, or, more properly spes!*#8> their
antennz. Butterflies heve three kinds: first,
those lar the extremity; secondly, those
which gradually increase till near the end; and
thirdly, those which are flat-sided like a ram’s
horn. ie’
Moths have also three kinds: the first, nearly
evento the end ; the second, diminishing gradually
to a point; and the third bearded or feathered ;
~ but the antenne of the moth are always sharp
pointed.

Moths fly by night, though they may some-
times be seen in dark shady places in the day-
time. Y vat

There is a’moth which, though not remark-
able for the beauty of its colours, is so from the
singularity of its form. It exactly resembles a
bundle of dried leaves, and every thing conspires
to aid the deception. Its colour is that of a
withered elm leaf; its upper wings are veined

44 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

and scalloped at the edges; the under “wings
project beyond the upper, and resemble them.
On the head it has a kind of beak formed by two
bearded horns, which look like the leaf stalk ;
the antennz, which lie backwards as far as the
wings, seem the continuation of it ; and, in short,
the deception is complete while the moth is at
rest. hoy are to be found in England; but

we cannot be surpriced that they are aravicy
discovered, particularly as they ar very auiet

in the day. The chrysalis is nes conical in
shape, and of the usual colour, but. appears pow-
dered. The caterpillar is very large, and lives
on pear and peach-trees. —

The death’s-head moth, or Sphinz Atropos, is
also very singular: it takes its name from the
representation of a skull on its back or thorax,
and was formerly regarded with great terror by
the people of Brittany, who looked on it as the
forerunner of pestilence. Unfortunately this in-
sect is distinguished by the mournful cry it has
the power of making; it is something like the
squeak of a mouse, but more plaintive, and this
increased their terror. The noise is produced by
the moth striking its trunk with two bearded
laminz, which are placed on each side. There is
a membrane above the trunk which may have

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 45

some part in it: These moths are =a found in
England: the caterpillar is yellow and green, and
has a strongly curved horn on the tail. Nature
varies no less in size than in form, as we may see
in the difference between the gréat Indian butter-
fly, which is several inches acos8, ahd the little
white one which feeds ‘on thé cabbage, and is
hardly so big as a pin’s head, yet it has a trunk
which’ does’ not! roll up, hut is protected by a
‘sheath ; this little creature is « only three’ days i in
Trai of a chrysalis. Ghia veut te

‘ From some kei ds of caterpillars we may ‘learn
the good effects of living i in | harmony and fellow-
ae One of the commonest kinds, of which the
Ee are daid by b hundreds i in the: same place, and
wl which come out ‘nearly at ‘the’ same time, range
’ themselves i in regular rows, and feed in perfect
re ‘order, never interfering with each other ; which
if they were inclined to do, would ‘make sad
confusion. They also work for the public good ;

for as they go on eating the upper | surface of the
eat, 2 which | dries and contracts, forming a kind
of. cay ity, ‘they draw silken threads across from
side. to side, till a tent is formed, into which they
‘retire for shelter. They live principally on pear
‘and apple-trees. ‘These ‘do not disperse till they

IBiG

have frequently changed their sl skin.

46 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

A more striking example is given by the oak
caterpillars, which never separate even in the
chrysalis state, but live together in families of
five or six hundred brothers and sisters; they
eat together, spin together, and repose together ;
only as butterflies they separate. The order of
their march is the most remarkable. One goes
first, and apparently any one who chooses, and
the rest all follow in regular rows of two, three,
four, five, &c.: they stop when the leader stops,
and follow minutely every turn. ‘The order of
their march is sometimes varied, but always
regular. Is not this an excellent example of the
good arising from proper subordination, for how
else could they continue together? — r

Thus we see how the caterpillars are preserved
and fed, but we must now consider their enemies
and misfortunes. When any species multiplies
exceedingly, nature always provides against its
superabundance: she produces their enemies in
equal numbers, and thus the balance is preserved.

The poor caterpillars in particular have many
of these; some swallow them at a mouthful,
others pull them to pieces, and others suck them
gradually, yet still they are very numerous.
Though they appear the mildest and most help-
less of insects, there is one kind which are quite

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 47

cannibals, and eat each other. Twenty of this
fierce race were put into a glass box by Reaumur,
and regularly fed with oak leaves. It “was re-
marked that their number diminished daily, and
yet there were no dead bodies ; this excited his
attention, and he observed that when one met
another, it seized it with its teeth near the head,
and quickly inflicted mortal wounds. Wounded
caterpillars either soon die or become weak, thus
the conqueror found any easy prey ; and when
it could not escape quietly, sucked and eat it,
leaving the skin. The aggressors always ap-
peared the strongest. Of these twenty cater-
pillars there only remained one, which was so
greedy that it would not quit its hold of the last
victim. 4

_ The most terrible enemy they have is the grub
-of an ichneumon fly, which lives in their insides,
and is so well concealed that no one would su-
spect it, as the poor caterpillar looks as well as
usual, though its internal parts are continually
being devoured. These grubs are of two sorts—
those which live in society, and those which live
alone: they all undergo a metamorphosis. They
are produced by a beautiful green ichneumon
fly, which pierces the skin of the caterpillar, and
deposits its eggs m the hole. In due time the

48 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

grubs come out through the skin, sometimes to
the number of fourteen or fifteen, yet. the ‘poor
insect sometimes suryives, and even turns to a
chrysalis, though it does not become a butterfly.
The most beautiful of the cabbage caterpillars i is
the most subject to be attacked by the gregarious
grubs, which, after their coming out, spin them-
selves up in cones. pee nt

If we examine the ela or oak pd Snr we
shall frequently find one or ‘two little white
patches, which are usually placed between th the
rings. Examined with a ‘microscope. they ap-
pear to be eggs; but they are so firmly 2 attached
to the skin, that it comes off before they. can be
separated. Reaumur closely inspected | one which
he detached with care, and founda hole on 1 the
part next theskin. He afterwards dissected the
caterpillar, and found in it a large grub.

Some have these creatures outside in different
parts of the body, sometimes to the number of
twenty. They appear to bury their heads in the
skin, and some spin their cones on the body of
the caterpillar. Some flies even deposit their
eggs in the eggs of the butterfly, and thus the
latter are devoured before they are born.

Another formidable enemy is a black shining
grub, which becomes as large asa middling cater-

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 49
pi Nar. ‘It has | pincers on its head, with which it
soon pierces the under part, which it usually
attacks, and when once fixed, there is no escape
for i its victim. It ‘commonly devours as many
“as it finds, and’ generally establishes itself among
“those caterpillars which live in society. ” They
“are sometimes punished for their gluttony ;’ for
when they have eaten so much as to be unable
to move, the young ones of their own species
‘attack and devour them, though without any
‘apparent reason, for they will do this when Se sd
have plenty of caterpillars. i
_ ” Butterflies are also infested with deft
“insects. A young lady, one day last summer, was

“examining a common brown butterfly (papilio
. jurtina), and saw that on each side the thorax
’ were some small bright red spots or tubercles.
Haying touched one of these with a pin, to her
great surprise it came off, and ran across the
‘paper as fast as its little legs could carry it ; and
on examining the others, she found that their
heads were buried in the butterfly’s body in the
samemanner as a tick fixes itself in the flesh, and
she had great difficulty in dislodging them. Lin-
nzeus says (speaking of his division of butterflies)
that “the equites are either Troes or Trojans,
distinguished by having red or blood-coloured
spots or patches on each side their breasts; or
D

50 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

Achivi, Greeks, without the red marks.” Shaw
further says, that “ it has been observed by some
critics, that the blood-coloured spots mentioned
by Linnzeus as characteristic of the Trojans are
not always found.” Now, does it not occur to
you, from these words, that the red marks may
possibly be these insects? I think it very pro-
bable; but I do not know whether Linneus
meant that the spots were hairy, and I wish some
entomologist would ascertain and prove it.) ©

If you are ever so fortunate as to'live in the
country, you may amuse yourself by keeping
butterflies in a thin gauze cage, which will enable
you to examine without killing them; and if you
feed them with fresh flowers or honey, they will
perhaps be very well contented to remain, par-
ticularly if you have a great many. They are
very sociable, and will feed from your finger ;
but I will not answer for your being able to tame
them, as their life is so short. It is time to finish
this long letter ; so, adieu! But, stay, there is one
circumstance I forgot to tell you. Inthe West
Indies there is a large larva called the grub of
the palm weevil, which is as large as the thumb ;
it is roasted and eaten as a great delicacy. I have
often heard it mentioned by a lady, who came
from Demerara, who called it Grugru.

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 51

LETTER V.

_ I sau now, my dear Harriet, give you some
account |of an insect which is in general only
known by the mischief it causes, yet is worthy
of attention on other accounts. We admire, and
with, reason, the ingenuity which has produced
such variety and beauty-in our clothing, and the
means by which it is done; but there is an insect
which performs the same thing for itself without
any help; and in the most beautiful manner. I
mean the larve of the moth, which are so destruc-
.tive to woollen cloths, furs, &c. These cater-
pillars have too tender and delicate a skin to live
without clothing: the habits they make are of a
simple form, like a long tube, to fit their round
bodies, and are made with great art. The insect
chooses the woolly hairs proper for the purpose,
and. interweaves them with silken threads (for
they are spinning caterpillars) ; the inside of this
tube is lined with the same silk, and is exquisitely
soft. They begin their:work very soon after
they are born, and are consequently obliged to
D2

92 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

enlarge it as they grow, and this is, the most
difficult thing they have to do. We can easily
imagine that they can add to the length, but not
how they let it out at the sides. This they per.
form by slitting down the side about a, quarter
of the length (for if they did it all at ‘once it
would fall off), and putting ina little piece like
a gore; they proceed with another, till th ane ey
come to the end. This may be very plai ay
discovered by taking the insect from a blue clo
and putting it on a red one, w when the additions
will be all red. They have diff erent modes of
doing it, however, but all, equally ingenious.
Should not this make us sometimes. ashamed of
our own want of contrivance? f pee pier
As these insects turn to moths every year,
there are always plenty of their empty coats,
which the young ones prefer taking to pieces for
their own, to the cloth itself, as the materials are
all prepared ; thus those born on green or blue
cloths are sometimes clothed in quite different
colours, where there have been old insects be-
fore : in consequence, it is very rare to find these
coats in good condition. They also show a great
deal of taste; for it has been observed that, on
a gray colour or brown cloth, the little creatures

are dressed in bright red or blue; and on ex-

tw : :
LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 53

amining the cloth with a microscope, many red,
blue, or green hairs have been discovered mixed
with the others. They cause more destruction
by mowing, as it were, the long hairs which ob-
struct their passage, than by what they eat.

, Finally, when they have attained their full
size, and the time of their metamorphosis ap-
proaches, they forsake the cloth they have lived
fasten themselves i in the angles of walls aid the —
erevices | of furniture, sometimes by one end, and
a silken. tissue, Thus inclosed, the caterpillar
soon turns to a chrysalis, which gradually changes
from light yellow to a reddish colour; and
finally, i in about three weeks, comes out a little
; gray moth.

If these larve are shut up with dead butter-
flies, they make very pretty garments of the hair
and pieces of the wing.

- It is worthy of remark, that they never attack
wool that is not cleansed of grease, and they dis-
like any powerful smell. A fumigation of tobacco
is fatal to them.

There is another of the same species which
lives in the woods, fields, or gardens, and feeds
on the leaves. These do not clothe themselves

54 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

exactly in the same way as the domestic sort,
and their habits are not so rich and varied, but
their’ ingenuity is — ‘still more ae of
admiration. Oe OD YA. <0
Though they are very common, they are'seldom
found but by those who know where to look, as
they attach themselves to the under part of the
leaf, and remain stationary ; the part to which
they hang is usually withered. ‘Their garments
are’ also of thé colour of dried leaves, ahd thus
they escape notice: they are found in oaks, élitis,
pear and apple-trees, and rosétrees, but rarely
in the last, atid each tree has a different kind. ”
As they are caterpillars, the body is long and
round like those which eat cloth; but their gai
ments are of a different shape. ‘They are formed
like a triangular tube, smooth ‘and hard, and
much larger than the insect, to give it room to
turn round. The manner in which they accom-
plish the formation of them is very curious.
The substance on which they feed is the pulp
between the upper and lower membrane of the
leaf; and when they have eaten away a sufficient
space, they lie between the two membranes, in
one of which they are to clothe themselves, and
cut it out as a tailor cuts out his cloth; and
though the form of the separate pieces is not

LETTERS.ON ENTOMOLOGY. 55

square or round, or of any regular figure, but
extremely irregular, yet the two pieces fit exactly.
The next thing is to fasten them together, and
this they do with silken threads so neatly, that
the joining can hardly be discerned with a
microscope. But the most remarkable thing is,
that they vary their operations according to cir-
cumstances, and seldom do all alike ; for instance,
if the leaf is too dry to separate the membranes,
they, will cut it out altogether. When they
grow too large for their clothes, they make new.
They may be found where the leaf is transparent,
with a hole.
,, Another kind cover themselves with little
straws and dried stalks, which look very ridi-
culous, and have the samé effect as if our clothes
- were coyered with rows of sticks.

Land insects are not the only ones which want
clothes. The aquatic kinds make them also,
- some of very fine sand, some of gravel, some of
flat leaves, some of round stalks. Others arrange,
with great taste, pieces of leaves round their
coats; they appear bound with green ribbon.
Others make use of every thing; fresh leaves
and old rotten ones, pieces of wood new and old,
gravel, small stones, pieces of shell, and even
whole ones; nothing seems “to come amiss.

56 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

They make themselves sometimes the most fan-
tastical figures, but this only serves to show their
ingenuity, because they do it for a particular
purpose ; they are obliged to balance themselves
in the water, and if too light, they puton a little
stone; if too heavy by having imbibed the water,
they take a light piece of wood or straw. Some
make very pretty garments by covering them
with little shells, generally of ease small snails
or muscies.

We should be very much whahaliae to see a
savage, instead of clothing himself with the skins
of what he kills, covering himself with the living
animals; for instance, with squirrels or foxes ;
yet some of these insects actually do it, and cover
themselves with little muscles, well fastened on,
and quite alive, though we may easily imagine
it is not a very comfortable situation.

All these insects become flies with four wings:
they first change into nymphs in their coat or
sheath ; but as they would be liable in this torpid
state to be devoured by voracious insects, they
are obliged to stop the ends, which, as the water
must not be excluded, they effectually do by a
grating of silk.

I must not pass over those caterpillars of this
species which make themselves long silken

le ae

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 57

galleries: instead: of. having portable. garments.
These make great» havock among the bees, and
brave,’under this covering, all,the stings, of that
pi ng warriors. ion saad, seek the honey,

“Theses ingenious inatetat are ¢ all hl but who
willsay that they are therefore unworthy our
attention?» When the Author of, all being has
deigned ‘to. form, and preserve them in so won-
derful a manner, and in such infinite variety, is
it exeusable-in.us-to treat his works with indif-
ference?; “Are we worthy to inhabit a world so
full.of wonders, when. we hardly take the trouble
of sepening: our:eyes to see it? . I hope you will
think differently, and.turn your admiration from
the comparatively coarse and imperfect works of
art; tothe ee and truly beautiful scenes of
nature. IOITEUI (2

vostiw 10k Atiq esis latins me, &c. &c.
if) FEO) THN T ME =
hooper aiclt inp of
1903 efooens euolmetoy

iSTS7- 48) 4s Lidiiiw .zbris 9

(0. Ol) VUBHID9RS Yous x ;
ett to. eteli: {13389 S208? 19 of Je
*9nile BWMho. saviseamsa? ser chy REE)

58 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

LETTER VI. io of Dae. 2% Ys

MY DEAR FRIEND, et
OF all associations of insects, there

are none that have more excited the attention
and admiration of mankind, in every age, than’

the colonies of the hive bee. It is a subject most
fertile in wonders; even the most stupid and
ineurious must be struck with astonishment on
viewing the inside of a bee-hive. It is a little

city, divided into regular ‘streets, composed of

houses, constructed on the most exact geometrical
principles, some serving for storehouses, others
for the habitations of the citizens, and a few
much larger for the palaces of the sovereigns,
made of materials which the skill of man would
in vain attempt to imitate, and this is all done by
insects! Well may Bonnet exclaim, “ Quel abime
aux yeux d’un sage qu’une ruche d’Abeilles!
Quelle sagesse profonde se cache dans cet abime !
Quel philosophe osera le fonder !”

It is not necessary, as you must be aware, that
bees should have a hive ; any other cavity would

~

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 59

serve them as well. You must have seen a honey-
comb, and observed that it is a flattish cake, com-.
posed of a vast number of cells, mostly hexagonal,
‘ regularly applied side by side, and placed in two
layers end toend. Several of these combs are
fixed to the upper part and sides of the hive, at
the distance of about half an inch from each
other. Besides these vacancies, which are the
high roads, there are cavities pierced through
the combs, that they may not lose time by going
round. If bees only constructed cells of in-
variable size and arrangement, it would still be
a matter of admiration; but they do more. If
forced by artificial means to bend their comb,
they take the best means of doing it; they en-
large the mouths of the cells on the convex side,
» and diminish them on the other. A little re-
flection will show you the beauty and ingenuity
,ot this contrivance, particularly as it is an ad-
ventitious circumstance, which in their natural
state would rarely, if ever, happen.

The cells are of different dimensions, as the
society consists of three orders differing in size.
The cells for the male larve are much larger than
those belonging to the workers. The queen’s
cell is still larger, and differs in form, being
shaped like a pear, and made of a coarser ma-

60 LETTERS, ON ENTOMOLOGY.

terial; the situation is also, different, being ver-'
tical instead of horizontal, with the mouth down-
The society of a hive of bees, besides the young
brood, consists of one female or queen; several
hundreds of males or drones, and many thousand
workers. The body of the queen is much longer
than the others. The drone is quite the reverse
in shape, being short, thick, and clumsy. The
workers are oblong, and divided into two orders,
the wax-makers and nurses. They are all im-
perfect females like the ants. Sixteen days is
the time assigned to a queen for her existence
in the preparatory states, before she emerges
from her cell: three she remains. in the egg;
when hatched, she continues feeding, or rather
being fed, five more; when covered in, she begins
to spin her cocoon, which is open at one end for
a reason I shall presently give you. She is one .
day in doing this; she then reposes two days
and sixteen hours, and then assumes the pupa or
chrysalis, in which state she remains four days
and eight hours. Four days more are required to
bring the workers to perfection. ‘There is a dif-
ference in the shape of their cocoons, for workers
and drones make complete ones, while the queen’s
is open at the lower end, and this is probably:

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 6]

occasioned by'the fonw of the cells; for if'a female
larva be!placed in a worker's cell, ‘it will spin a
complete cocoon, and if a worker grub be put
in! @ royal *eell; its eocdon’ will ‘bé incomplete.
No provision of the great Author of nature is in
vain. “Ais the' first’ queei who comes out must
kill “all ‘the other feriale’ grubs, it Would be ex-
tremely ‘difficult’ for her to do it if they were
qilite cévered. “When the prisoners are ready
to’ enierge, they do not, like the ants, require
assistance} but eat through their cocoon and cell,

generally through the'top. ‘They now enter on
a more interesting scene, in which the display of
their wonderful‘and numerous instincts exceeds
the most vaunted’ products of human skill and

wisdom!> 9

* ‘Pirst, we inust speak of the queen mother, as
incomparably the most important. The first mo-
ments of her life are filled with anxiety, warfare,
and peril, for she will bear no rival near her, and
there are generally from sixteen to twenty royal
cells in a hive, while only one is suffered to live,
except when another queen is wanted to lead a
swarm,in which case the workers take proper pre-
cautions. ‘Soon after the queen’s birth she visits
‘the royal cells, still inhabited, and darting with
fury on the first she meets, by means of her j jaws

62 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

she makes a hole, and stings the poor female to
death. The workers, who look on, then enlarge
the hole, and draw forth the carcass, just emerged
from the thin covering of the pupa. Ifher,enemy
is still in that state, she only makes a hole im the
cell, and the workers drawing it out, it perishes.
If two queens come forth at the same time, the
care of Providence to prevent the hive from being
despoiled of a governor is shown in a remark-
able instinct, which, when mutual. destruction
appears inevitable, makes them fly each other as.
if panic-struck. They dart forward: at first, and |
being opposite have a mutual advantage; but
when their stings would give reciprocally a mortal
wound, terror seems to seize them, and they fly
away. The attack is renewed in the same manner
till one by stratagem gains an adyantage, and
inflicts the fatal wound. —
When another queen comes into the hive, the
workers gather round her, but do not attempt
to injure her. They likewise gather round their
own queen, who is to fight the intruder. When
she moves towards the spot, they open, to make
a clear arena for the combat, and the rightful
queen rushing on her enemy and seizing her in
her jaws, near the root of the wings, despatches
her with one stroke of her sting. Whatever

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 63

number of queens are introduced into a hive, all
but one will perish, and she will have won the
throne by her unassisted valour, for the workers
never interfere.

‘If the queen dies, they have a regular time of
mourning for her, which is twenty-four hours,
and before that time has elapsed, they will not
suffer any other to enter their domain; but after
that time, they will receive any queen. If the
old queen remained in the hive when the young
ones came forth, she would infallibly destroy
them; but this is wisely prevented by a circum-
stance which always takes place—the old queen
leads the first swarm; and if there are more
to go, the workers keep the young queens, de-
stined to lead them, in their cells, till the proper
“moment: they however feed them with honey ;
but as fast as they make an opening, they stop
it with wax. They likewise take particular
care to hinder the old queen from coming near
these unfortunate princesses, if we may so call
them. Sometimes when angry, she stands in a
particular attitude, and makes a peculiar noise
or humming, which affects the bees so much
that they hang their heads and remain motion-
less. At last she becomes violently agitated,
and communicating her agitation to others, the

VAIS Z MO EBROTZ
64 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

confusion increases till a swarm leaves the hive;
which she either precedes or follows, like” a’
sovereign driven forth by her rebellious sub+-
jects to seek a new kingdom. The bees in=
variably let out the oldest female from her cell
first, and she becomes the soul of all their actions”
and centre of their instincts, though so long their!
prisoner. If they are deprived of her, or'the’
means of replacing her, they lose all their activity*
and become quite idle. You will no doubt ask”
me what are the means of replacing” her without |
a royal cell, and I will relate to you i in’ answer‘
one of the most astonishing, and I believe un-
paralleled facts.in nature. °°" 30.8 eag SEE
If the bees are deprived of their queen, ‘arid’
are supplied with the part of the honeycomb
containing only the grubs of the workers; they-
select one or more to be educated as queens,
which by having a royal cell erected for them;
and being fed with the royal jelly (a particular
kind which is exclusively given to queens), only,
for two days, come out complete queens, with
their form and instincts entirely changed, though
if they had remained in a common’ cell’ they
would have been only workers! What shall we
say to this? How can a larger and’ warmer
cell, a different and more pungent kind of food,

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 69

and an upright instead of a horizontal posture
(which. is the form of a royal cell), give the bee
a different tongue, make its hind legs flat in-
stead of concaye, deprive them of the fringe of
hairs which forms the basket for carrying pollen;
besides ; almost every other part of the body? > Can
we. imagine that these seemingly unimportant
circumstances can alter all its instincts and pro-
pensities, and that instead of a lively, industrious
worker, it would become an indolent, tyrannical
— if this circumstance was not established
y-the most credible evidence, it would be almost
oe believe it, ignorant as we are of the
general laws of nature. The first who published
it was M. Schirach, secretary of the Apiarian So-
ciety in Upper Lusatia. It was communicated tothe
‘celebrated Bonnet, who long hesitated to believe
it, but was at length convinced ; and M. Huber,
by experiments repeated for ten years, was fully.
convinced of the truth of it. Indeed it had been:
practically known long before, for M. Vogel
asserts, that experiments confirming this extra-
ordinary fact had been made by more than a
hundred different persons in the course of more
than a hundred years, and that he had known
old cultivators of bees who had assured him that
if proper measures were taken, in a practice of.

66 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

more than fifty,.years, the experiment, never
failed. Signor, Monticelli, a,,Neapolitan ; pro-
fessor, informs us that the Greeks and Turks
know how to make artificial swarms, and.that
the art of producing queens at. will, has, been
known, in the little Sicilian island of Fayignana,
from very remote antiquity. I have been_so
particular in giving all this authority, my, dear
Harriet, because ‘people i in general are very apt
to doubt what appears strange, merely because
they do not comprehend why or how jit. is, for-
getting that they are neither omniscient nor, ont
present. . , » oy [ia

Reaumur says ae the best sign we a hive i bt
preparing to swarm, is when ona sunny morning
few bees go out of a hive. A good deal depends
on the state of the weather, however, to accelerate
or retard it. Another sign is a general hum in
the evening, and which continues even in the
night. The old queen leads the first swarm, and
the first-born of those left, or the princess royal, if
we may so call her, probably takes her place. The
longest interval between the swarms is, from
seven to nine days, and between each successive
one it is much shortened.

If one of the antenne of a queen is cut off, it
seems not to affect her ; but if deprived of both,

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 67

she appears in a kind of delirium, and without her
usual instinets, yet the respect of her subjects is
the same. If two mutilated queens meet, they
show not the slightest symptom of resentment.
These antennz appear to be extraordinary in-
struments of perception. The poor drones have
a short life and a tragical end, for the eggs that
producé them are ustially laid in April or May,
and they are stung to death by the workers in
July or ‘Atigust. However, as they are quite
idle members of the community, and do nothing
but’ eat, it would not be proper that they should
live all the winter to consume the labours of the
industrious. We must remark that in hives de-
prived of their queen they are suffered to re-
main’ alive. I must defer any further account
"till my next letter, when I shall tell you some-
thing of the workers, those lively and interest-
ing visitors, who disdaining all but the sweetest
productions of nature, live in flowers and feed
on nectar, and whose cheerful hum insensibly
enlivens our sufmmer walks. Adieu for the
present. ~ 3

68 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

ot aprudser 99d sotuinse f/f. .RB0. vader
nvoi oft of 16 29otstrg ie gre
yierpara elloo srt to Soo OFM
er eels toon dipabelin.cs aod a i
REPT DR 2 VEL. 2919 1389F 202 to
: Hi BOMW LOE .fSL1L0Gg
I swaxu not pretend, my dear Harriet; to give
you'a full and circumstantial account’ of ‘allt
history of bées, but shall only’ mention’ sich
things as I consider more particularly worthy 6f
attention ; though even the most trivial’ circum-
stance shows the wisdom and saan pect
all nature is made. cmt sy.
‘The principal object of the’ srovkongeteeaen
their excursions, is to obtain three’ things / thie
nectar of flowers, from which they make ‘honey
and wax; the pollen or dust of the anthers’ ‘in
flowers, of which they make bee bread, which is
their food ; and'the resinous ‘substance called by
the ancients propolis, and used in various ways
in rendering the hive secure, and finishing ‘the
combs. The first is the pure’ fluid in the nec-
taries of flowers, which they lick up with their
long tongues; for you must remark the bee’s
tongue isnot a tube to suck with, but a real
tongue, which laps’ or licks’ the honey, and
passes it to the first stomach, which is called the

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 69

honey bag. When the bee returns to the hive,
she regurgitates it in the form of pure honey,
into one of the cells prepared. When the stomach
of a bee is filled with nectar, she next, by means
of the feathered hairs on her*body, gathers the
pollen from which the bee-bread is made, and
which, we may call the ambrosia... When her
body is covered with this dust, she, wipes it off
with the brushes of her legs, not.to disperse it,
hut, to. knead it into two small pellets, which she
carries.in, the. baskets. formed, by the hairs cross-
ing each other,\on her hind legs...) 970. |

Many authors assert that the bee never visits
more.than.one species of flower \in each journey
from the: hive. and this, appears most, probable
and. reasonable; for the grains of ,pollen would

“not, most, likely,, adhere, together if not of the

‘

same kind;.and the pollen which thie bee would
carry, into the flower might make the seed of a
different. kind, and there would. be no siphet
flower,in.time,. 5 0
_,.[Dhe bee, on her, grand at the radi eithes eats
the;pellets of farina, or calls others to her assist-
ance. They store up the eg gets par? in
= cells.
.The propolis is collected from the bhusdel of
trees, particularly from the poplar. Huber

70 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

planted some twigs of a species of poplar: before
the leaves were out, and almost directly, a bee
alighted, and opening a bud, drew from it a thread
of the viscid matter contained in it, and with its
legs placed it in the basket of hairs. Their scent
is remarkably acute, which Huber proved by
putting some honey behind a window-shutter,
whence it could not be seen, leaving the shutter
just open enough for insects to pass if they chose ;
and in less than a quarter of an hour, four bees,
a butterfly, and some house-flies, had discovered
it. Another time he put some into boxes with
little holes in the lid, into which pieces of card
were fitted, and placed the boxes about two
hundred paces from his hives; in about half an
hour the bees found it out, and pushing in the
card, got at the honey.

When bees are laden, they always fly in a
direct line to the nest, though by what. means
they are enabled to do this we cannot ascertain.
That it is a fact, is strongly proved by the account
in the Philosophical Transactions of the manner
in which the people of New England discover
where the wild bees live in the woods. They
set a plate of honey or sugar on the ground,
which is soon attacked by the bees: having
secured two or three that have filled themselves,

¢

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 71

the hunter lets one go, which rising into the air,
flies straight ‘to the nest; ‘he'then strikes off at
right angles ‘with its course a few hundred yards,
and letting’ ‘a second fly, observes its course by
his’ pocket compass, and the point where the
two ‘Courses intersect is that where the nest is
situated. i ais
9 none Egypt the hives are transported from
oné’place to another, to enable the bees to make
a ‘greater provision of honey. Towards the end
of October, when the inundations of the Nile
have ceased, and the husbandmen can cultivate
their land, saintfoin is one of the first things sown:
and/as Upper Egypt is warmer than the lower,
it gets there first into blossom, and the beehives
are transported in boats from all parts of Egypt
to the upper district, and are there heaped in

“pyramids upon the boats prepared for them. In

this station they remain some days, and when
they are supposed to have gathered enough, are —
removed farther down, and so proceed till the
middle of February; when having traversed
Egypt, they arrive at the sea, and are sae
to their respective owners.

‘One of the most important employments of
bees is the ventilation of their abode; for the
heat would soon rise to too high a temperature

72 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

for respiration, and there can be no current,of
air. But how, you will say, is this done?,. Just
as you would do it yourself—by fanning them-
selves. By means of the hooks at the edge they
unite each pair of wings, and thus make a’ broader
surface, which they vibrate so rapidly as to render
the wings almost invisible. This is what produces
the constant humming ina hive, and gosammean
all seasons. e-
Now let us omnia abet I. think the. most
interesting part of their history—their language —
and tempers. The organ of the language of ants
is their antenne. Huber has proved thatit is
the same with the bees, and I will tell.youin what
manner. He wished to know whether, when they
had lost their queen (which is known to the whole
hive in about an hour), they discovered. it, by
their smell, their touch, or any unknown cause.,
He first divided a hive by a grate, which kept the
twoportionstwoor three lines asunder,so thatthey
could not come at each other, though seent would
pass. In the part where there was no queen, the
bees were soon in great agitation ; and as they did
not discover her where she was confined, they
soon began to construct royal cells, which quieted
- them. He next separated them by a partition,
through which they could pass their antenne,

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 73

but not their heads. In this case the bees all
remained tranquil, and went on with their em-
ployments as usual. ‘The means they used to
assure themselves that their queen was in their
vicinity, and to communicate with her, was. to
pass their antenne through the openings of the
grate ; an infinite number of these organs might
be seen at once inquiring in all directions, and
the queen was observed answering these anxious
questions of her subjects in the most marked
manner ; for she was fastened by her feet to the
grate, crossing her antenne with those of the
inquirers.

. That bees remember, is evident from an anec-
dote related by Huber. One autumn, some
honey was placed in a window—the bees at-
tended itin crowds. The honey was taken away,
3 and. the window closed with a shutter all the
winter : in the spring, when it was opened, the
bees returned, though no fresh honey had been
placed there.

_ No one who has been stung can doubt their

anger and revenge; indeed they have always

been celebrated for it. In Mungo Park’s last

mission to Africa, he was much annoyed by the

attacks of bees. His people, in search of honey,

disturbed a large colony of them. The bees
E

74 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

sallied forth by myriads, and attacking men and
beasts indiscriminately, put them all to the rout..
One horse and six asses were killed or missing
in consequence of their attack ; and for half an:
hour the bees seemed to have completely put an
end to their journey. Lesser tells us that in
1525, in a time of war, a mob of peasants at-
tempted to pillage the house of the minister. of
Elinde, who having in vain employed all his
eloquence to dissuade them, ordered his servants
to throw his beehives among them; and it had
the desired effect, for they were immediately put
to flight. 4

Great battles sometimes take place reheat
two swarms, when one takes a fancy to a hive
pre-occupied by another ; but frequently strangers
are not received so inhospitably. Bees from.a
hive in Mr. Knight’s garden visited those of a
cottager a hundred yards distant, considerably
later than their time of labour; every bee ap-
pearing to be questioned as it arrived. On the
tenth morning, however, the intercourse ceased,
ending in a furious battle. On another occasion
an intimacy took place between two hives of his
own, which ended on the fifth day; but he
sometimes observed that these visits ended in
the union of two swarms.

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 75

You must not think that this apparently pros-
perous and powerful nation has no enemies ;
many beasts and birds have a particular taste
both for them and their honey. Even frogs and
toads are said to kill great numbers, and many
fall into the water. Mice, in winter, often commit
great ravages. Thorley once lost a stock by
mice, which made a nest among the combs. The
titmouse, according to the same author, will make
a noise at the door of the hive, and when a bee
comes out to see what is the matter, will seize
and devour it. The swallows will assemble round
the hives, and devour them like grains of corn.
Bees will bear submersion nine hours, and when
taken out of water will revive with proper heat.
They are less active in winter, but not absolutely

“torpid ; for the heat in a hive is always great in
the coldest weather. I believe I have given you
the most interesting particulars relating to these
insects, and I hope you will fmd in their history
ample matter for reflection and admiration.—
Adieu. |

E2

76 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

LETTER VIII.

MY DEAR HARRIET, Ge ait

I wiLt now introduce you to 4
celebrated, and, in my opinion, interesting race
of insects ; I mean the ants, which besides being
indefatigably industrious, are extremely lively
and frolicksome. I will begin with the Termites
or white ants, which I think we may. consider
the nobility of the species. The majority of these
animals are natives of tropical countries, though
two species are indigenous to Europe, one of
which, thought to have been imported, is come
as far as Bourdeaux. Their. societies consist of
five different descriptions of individuals, workers
or larve, nymphs or pupez, neuters or soldiers,
males and females. 1. The workers are the most
numerous and active part of the community,
upon whom devolves the office of erecting, and
repairing the buildings, collecting provision, at-
tending upon the female, conveying the eggs,
as soon as laid, to the nurseries, and feeding the
young larvee till they are old enough to take

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 77
care of themselves. They are distinguished from
the soldiers by their small size and round heads.

2d. The nymphs differ in nothing from the
larve, except me they have oe folded up in
cases.

3d. The neuters are much less numerous than

the workers, and much larger in size, and are
distinguished by their long and large heads.
Their office is that of sentinels and defenders of
the nest when it is attacked.
» 4th and 5th. Males and females, which are the
nymphs arrived at perfection: there is only one
of each in every separate society, and they are
exempted from all participation in the labours
and employments of the community. The first
establishment of a colony of termites takes place
' inthe following manner.

In the evening, these animals having attained
the perfect state, in which they are furnished
with two pair of wings, emerge by myriads to
seek their fortune. Borne on these ample wings,
they fill the air, entering the houses, extinguish-
ing the lights, and even sometimes being driven
on board the ships that are near the shore. The
next morning they are found covering the surface
of the earth and waters, deprived of their wings,
‘and looking like large maggots. In this help-

78 LETTERS 'ON ENTOMOLOGY.

less state they become the prey of innumerable
enemies ; and scarcely one pair in many millions
escape to found a new colony. The workers,
who. ere continually prowling about) in their
covered ways, sometimes meet with a pair, and
pay them homage, electing them to be the king
and queen ofa new colony. The workers «di-
rectly begin to inclose their mew rulers in a
chamber of clay, suited to their size, but -which |
has a door too small to let them pass: through,
so that they are kept in complete confinement.
When the female. begins to lay eggs, the larve
or workers carry them away to the nurseries, in
which when hatched they are provided with feed,
and receive every necessary attention, ~ >
The buildings of the Termes fatalis, if. con-
sidered as in proportion to their size, make» the
Egyptian pyramids and edifices dwindle, into
nothing in comparison. . The highest pyramid
is not more than 600 feet high, which, is not
more than 120 times the height of the builders,
supposing it on an average to be fivefeet. Whereas
the nests of the termites being twelve feet high or
more, and themselves only a quarter of an, inch
long, their building is more than 570 times their
own height, which if they were of human stature
would be half a mile. These nests are formed en-

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 79

tirely of clay; and are generally twelve feet high,
and broad in proportion, so that a cluster of them
is often taken for an Indian village. The first
thing they do is to erect two or three turrets of
clay, about a foot high, like sugar-loaves. These
rapidly increase in number and height, until at
length, being widened at the base, joined at the
top with a dome, and surrounded with walls,
they appear in the shape of a haycock. When
in this state, they remove the inner turrets or
scaffoldings, and use the clay for other purposes.
They occupy only the lower part of this palace,
leaving the top empty for the circulation of air,
and defence against the weather. The inhabited
part is o¢cupied by the royal chamber; the
-nurseries for the young ones; storehouses for
’ food; and innumerable galleries, passages, and
empty rooms: in the middle is the royal cham-
ber, shaped like an oven, with a very narrow
entrance, so that the poor king and queen can
never possibly come out. All round it are a
great number of arched rooms of different sizes,
either opening into eachother or communicating
by passages, and intended for the soldiers and
attendants in waiting on their royal mistress.
Next are the nurseries and magazines. The
former are occupied by the eggs and young ones,

80 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

and as they increase in number, are taken down
and rebuilt. They differ from all the’ rest iit
bemg made of’ particles of Wood, apparently
joined together with gums. ‘Intermixed’ with
these are the magazines formed of clay, and con~
taining particles of wood, gums, and the in-
spissated juices of plants. These apartments,
separated by small empty chambers and galleries,
are continued on all sides to the outer wall of
the building, to about two-thirds of its height
leaving, however, an open area in the middle,
like the nave of a cathedral, supported by three
or four large Gothic arches, which in the middle
are sometimes two and three feet high, but on
each side are diminished like aisles of arches in
perspective. The floor is so contrived as to let
any water that may happen to get in run off
into the subterranean passages, which are of an
astonishing size; some being a foot in diameter,
and quite round and smooth: they were the
quarries from which they procured materials for
building, and serve afterwards as the outlets of
their fortress. As they find great difficulty in
ascending a perpendicular, they make in the in-
terior upright part of the building a flat path-
way, which winds gradually up, like a road
cut in the side of a mountain. ‘Who will say

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY, 81

that we could learn nothing from, insects? They,
taught, by unerring wisdom, have used from time
immemorial the boasted discoveries of man ; and,
perhaps,.ifrightly observed, might teach us many
more. |, They have, howeyer,.a.contrivance still
more extraordinary; they.make abridge of one
vast. arch, from, the floor to the, upper apart-
ments at. the side, which, serves as a. flight of
stairs, and. shortens the. distance extremely. Mr.
Smeathman measured one, of these. bridges.
which, was, half an. inch, broad, a quarter of
an..inch,, thick, and ten, inches long. It was
strengthened. by a, small arch, at, the, bottom,
and had a groove along the upper surface, pro-
bably that they, might not fall over. It is not
the least surprising circumstance, that, as Mr.
* Smeathman saw every reason for believing, the
termites. project, that is, build their arches, in-
stead of excavating them.

,When anyone is bold enough. siliadoc: the
nest and make a breach in the walls, the labourers,
who.are incapable of fighting, retire within and
the soldiers come out. One first appears to re-
connoitre, then two or three more scramble after
him, and, presently a large body of them rush
forth.as, fast as they can, with indescribable rage
and fury. , In their basta they frequently miss

ES

82 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

their hold,,and tumble down; but they soon
recover. themselves, and bite every thing they
run against, when it is prudent to keep out of
their way, for they make their fanged jaws meet
at the very first stroke, and will not let go though
pulled limb from limb.

If on the first attack you give sei sialon
interruption, in less than half an hour they re-
turn into the nest, and the labourers hasten. in all
directions towards the breach, every one carry-
ing in his mouth a lump of mortar, half as big
as his body, which he sticks on the breach; and
this is done with so much regularity and despatch,
that although thousands or millions are employed,
they never appear to interrupt each other.

While the labourers are thus employed, almost
all the soldiers retire, except here and there one,
who saunters about among the workers, but never
assists in the work. One in particular places
himself close to the wall which they are building,
and turning | himself leisurely on all sides, as if
to survey the proceedings, appears to act as an
overseer of the works. »

Every now and then, at the interval of a
minute or two, by lifting up his head and striking
with his forceps upon the wall of the nest, he makes
a particular noise, which is answered by a loud

LETTPRS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 83

hiss from all the labourers, and appears to be a
signal for despatch; for every time it is heard,
they areseen'to redouble their pace with increased
diligence.. If you renew the attack, the same
scene will be repeated ; the labourers will dis-
appear, and the soldiers rush forth as before ;
and when all is quiet, the workers resume their
task, but never attempt to fight. The termites,
however, do not always go under covered-ways.
There is a larger species, which Mr. Smeathman
calls the marching termes. He was once passing
through a'thick forest, when, on a sudden, a loud
hiss like that of serpents struck him with alarm:
the next step produced a repetition of the sound,
which he then discovered to be that of the white
ants; yet he was surprised at seeing none of
* their hills or covered-ways. Following the noise,
to his great astonishment and delight, he saw an
army of those creatures emerging from a hole
in the ground ; their number was ge ti and.
they marched with the utmost celerity.

they had proceeded about a yard, they divided
into two columns, chiefly composed of labourers
about fifteen abreast, following each other in
close order, and going straight forward. Here
and there was seen a soldier, carrying his vast
head with apparent difficulty, and looking like

-

84 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

an ox in a flock of sheep, who marched on-in the
same manner. At the distance of a foot or two
from. the columns, many, other soldiers were
to be seen standing still or pacing about, as if
upon the look out, lest. some enemy should sud-
denly surprise their unwarlike comrades ; other
soldiers (which was the most extraordinary part
of the scene) having mounted some plants, and
placed themselves on the points of their leaves,
elevated from ten to fifteen inches from. the
ground, hung over the army marching. below,
and by striking their forceps upon the leaf, pro-
duced at intervals the noise before-mentioned.
To this signal the whole army returned ahiss,
and. obeyed it by increasing their pace. The
soldiers at these signal stations sat quite still
during the intervals of silence, except now and
then making a slight turn of the head, and seemed
as solicitous to keep their posts as regular sen-
tinels. The two columns of this army united,
after continuing separate for twelve or fifteen
paces, having in no part been above three yards
asunder, and then descended into the earth by -
two or three holes. Mr. Smeathman continued
watching them for above an hour, during which
time their numbers appeared neither to increase
nor diminish. The soldiers, however, who quitted

¥

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 85

the line of march, and acted as sentinels, became
much more numerous before he quitted the spot.
_ The larveand neuters of this une are furnished
witheyes. YS ate

I shall now give you some account of my little
favourites, the English ants, of which, according
to Gould, there are five species: viz. 1st, the hill
ant (formica rufa) ; 2. the jet ant (formica fuli-
ginosa) ; 3d, the red ant (myrmica rubra), which
isthe only species armed with a sting, whereas
the others make a wound with their foreeps, and
inject the poison into it ; 4th, the common yellow
ant (formica flava) ; and 5th, the small black ant
(formica fusca). The societies of ants differ from
those of termites, in having inactive larve and
pup, the neuters being at the same time soldiers
’ and labourers. The foundation of their colonies
differs from that of thetermites in this respect,that
the female, after losing her wings, does all the
work usually performed by the neuters, and is
soon assisted by her infant progeny. However,
the females are not always at liberty to leave the
nest they were born in, and the workers pull off
their wings and forcibly detain them till they
are reconciled to their fate: they then go where
they please, attended by a single ant. When
the female has laid her eggs, the workers begin

?

86 LETTERS ON! ENTOMOLOGY.

to pay her homage much the same-as the bees
render to their queen) 9° (0 70 rhatg gis Ne
All press round her, offer her food, dina conduct
her through the formicary, sometimes even carry-
ing her on their jaws. When she is set down,
others surround and caress her, one after another,
tapping her on the head with their antenne.
“ In whatever apartment,” says Gould, “a queen
condescends to be present, she commands obedi-
ence and respect. An universal gladness spreads
itself through the whole cell, which is expressed
by particular acts of joy and exultation. They
have a particular way of skipping, leaping, and
standing upon their hind legs, and prancing with —
the others. These frolics they make use of both
to congratulate each other when they meet, and
to show their regard for their queen; some of
them gently walk over her, others dance round
her ; she is generally encircled with a cluster of
attendants, who if you separate them from her,
soon collect themselves in a body, and inclose
her in the midst.” I fear, my dear Harriet, that
all which I shall relate to you concerning these
insects will appear almost incredible, but there
is no doubt of the veracity of the authorities
from which the account is derived; and if you
ask how any body could see into an ant-hill, I

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88 LETTERS: ON- ENTOMOLOGY «:

y vitolo. slndw' ade Re saad
vocla Hl . fe. tm Be te) aughiignt')
srt ; rm t 'otevr In marrern on pyar ryt lt

# tye eri are i art 4

ASET TER, LX. i493 goody atv

MY DEAR HARRIET, \ ; he

LET us. now seuliand a little. dit
language of our formic friends, though I am,sorry
to say I cannot teach it to you grammatically, ,
That they have a language is very evident, though
they have no voice, 22, common mith all other in-
sects. 'The following facts prove their powers of.
communication, though the. most superficial ob-,
server might judge for himself. . If those on the
surface are, alarmed, it is astonishing how soon
the alarm spreads through the whole nest... It.
creates the greatest bustle, and they carry, with
all possible despatch, their treasures, the larve,
and pupe or eggs, as they are commonly called,
down to the lowest apartments.

A species which is found on the continent in-.
habits hollow trees.. M. Huber observed. that
when he disturbed those farthest from the rest,,
they ran towards them, and striking their head
against them, communicatedthecause of their fear
or anger ; that these conveyed the intelligence to

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 89

others, till the whole colony was in a ferment.
The legs of one of M. Huber’s formicaries were
plunged into pans of water to prevent the escape
of the ants ; this proved a source of great enjoy-
ment to these little beings, for they are a thirsty
race, and lap water like dogs. One day when
he observed many of them drinking very merrily,
he was so cruel as to disturb them, which sent
most of the ants to the nest, but some, more
thirsty ‘than the rest, continued their potations.
Upon this, one’ who had retreated returned
to inform his thoughtless companions of their
danger: one he pushed with his jaws, another
he struck on the body, and so obliged three
of them to leave off carousing and return; but
the fourth, more resolute to drink it out, was not
to be discomfited, and paid not the least regard
to the kind blows with which his compeer re-
peatedly belaboured him : at length, determined
to have his way, he seized him by one of his
hind legs, and gave him a violent pull: upon
this, leaving his liquor, the loiterer turned round,
and opening his threatening jaws, with every sign
of anger, went very coolly to drinking again ;
but his monitor, without further ceremony, rush-
ing before him; seized him by the jaws, and at
last dragged him off in triumph to the nest. |

90 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

Some, which engage in’ military expeditions,
previously send out spies to’ collect information,
and when they return, the army proceeds'accord-
ingly to the quarter whence they arrived. Upon
themarch, communicationsare continually making
between the van and the rear; and when arrived
at the camp of the enemy, and the battle is begun,
couriers are despatched to the nest for remforce-
ments, if necessary. What more can'man do in
his expeditions? It is well known that ants give
each other notice of a store of provision.’ Bradley
says that a nest of ants, ina nobleman’s garden,
discovered a closet in the house ‘in ‘which»pre-
serves were kept; some in their ramblesomust
have made the discovery and imparted it to their
comrades, for they constantly visited it till the
nest was destroyed. I will also give you an-
other authority, which I hope you will consider
very respectable, I mean my own. I have often
watched the track of the ants across the path of
the garden, and sometimes when an ant had pro-
ceeded at the usual pace, half across, another
would come running after him, and touching
him with his antenne, or horns, they would both
run back again as fast as their little legs would
carry them, leaving me in the greatest curiosity
to know what they said. I never saw/one meet

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 91

another without touching his antenne, which as
they make no significant sounds, like bees, must
betheir-organ of speech, supplying the place both
of voice and words. The signal for marching is
made by the military ants) touching the trunk
with their antenne and forehead. They also ex-
press in different ways their aversions and af-
fections, and though we cannot easily ascertain
whether they feel individual attachment, they
certainly work for the public geod, and any
distress falling on a member of their, community
generally excites their sympathy... M. Latreille
ence cut off the antennz of an ant,.and its com-
panions, evidently pitying its sufferings, anoimted
the wounded part with a drop of transparent
fluid from their mouth ; and whoever observes
* them will be pleased to see how they assist each
other in difficulties. They even recognise each
other after absence, and evince a striking satis-
faction. M. Huber witnessed the gesticulations
of some ants, originally belonging to the same
nest, who met after four months’ separation, and
though this was equal to a quarter of their life
as perfect insects, yet they mutually recognised
each other, saluted with their antenne, and
united once more to form one family, They
are also ever ready to promote each other’s wel-

92 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

+ Dio fev3G

fare, and share any good thing they = meet
with. Those which go abroad feed those who
remain in the nest, and if they discover any
stock of food, they inform the whole community.
M. Huber having produced heat by means of a
flambeau, in a certain part of an artificial for-
micary, the ants that happencd to be in that
quarter, after enjoying it for a time, hastened to
convey the welcome intelligence to their com-
patriots, whom they even carried suspended on
their jaws to the spot, till hundreds might be
seen thus laden with their friends; ©
What a striking example of disinterestedness
do these insects, which have the general stigma
of selfishness so unjustly attached to them,
present, and how clearly does this injustice
show us the folly of judging on superficial
and imperfect grounds; let us not therefore
condemn hastily any being that we fancy hor-
rible and disgusting, but which on minute in-
vestigation will generally appear more really
beautiful than those preferred by our compa-
ratively unrefined senses. But to return to the
ants. ‘They are susceptible of anger as well as
love, even to fierceness. Providence has fur-
nished them with formidable weapons. Two
strong mandibles arm their mouth, with which

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 93

they hold so > fast, that, they will sooner be torn
limb from limb, than let go their hold ; and after
their battles the head. 3 a conquered enemy may
often be seen hanging on the antenne or legs of
the victor, which he is obliged to wear, however
troublesome, to the day of his death. Their poison
bag is furnished with a powerful and venomous
acid, which is celebrated for its efficacy, and ex-
hales a strong sulphureous. odour. Their courage is
unconquerable, and often rises into extreme fury.

If you point your finger at a hill ant, instead of
running away, it faces about, and that it may
make the most. of itself, stiffens its legs to raise
its body as high as possible, and thus prepares to
repel your attack. If you put your finger nearer,
| it opens. its jaws to bite. Does not this little
*ereature show more, courage than the greatest
hero. of the, human race? Even Achilles himself
would run away from a finger as much larger than
himself, in proportion, as ours is larger than the
ant. You will naturally suppose that so courage-
ous a people frequently make war on each other,

which i is the case, and I might here invoke the
muse to sing their battles, with as much reason
as the poets who celebrate the similar contests
of man. They fight for territory, for the droves
of aphides, equally, valuable with the flocks and

94 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

herds that cover our plains, and the body of a
fly or beetle, or a cargo of straws, and bits of
stick, are as important to them as a fleet to our
seamen. These wars are usually between those
of a different species, but sometimes between
those of the same, when so near as to incommode
each other: among the red ants, combats some-
times take place in the same nest. In these battles
the neuters or workers are the only warriors, the
males and females taking the wiser, if not more
honourable part, of flight. a

The wars of the red ant appear to be i be-
tween a small number of the citizens, and the
object of the popular tumult seems to be to get
rid of some useless member of the community,
or perhaps some criminal who will not ‘work.
Gould says that many of them may be’ seen sur=
rounding one of their own species, and pulling
it to pieces. This unfortunate ant is generally
feeble and languid; but if from illness, it does
not say much for their humanity. He onee saw
one of these ants dragged out of the nest with-
out its head, but still alive and able to crawl:
This poor ant might be fancied a criminal con-
demned by a court of justice to suffer the sen-
tence of the law. Mouffet bears pai toa
similar fact.

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 95

The-wars of the ants, not of the same species,
take place, usually.among those which differ in
size ; but the large ones are frequently outnum-
bered and defeated by their little adversaries.
Sometimes, however, after suffering a signal de-
feat, the smaller species are obliged to shift their
quarters and.to seek another establishment. In
order, to .cover their march, many small bodies
are posted at.a little distance from the rest. As
soon,as,the large ants approach the camp, the
foremost sentinels fly at them with the greatest
fury, .a,violent struggle ensues, multitudes of
their friends..come to their assistance, and the
giant is either slain or led captive. The species
which..M.. Huber observed to fight in this way
were formica herculanea, and formica sanguinea, —
-neither.of which haye been discovered in Britain,
If you would see war, in all its forms, you must
behold the combats of the hill ant. There you
will see populous and rival cities, like Rome and
Carthage, as if they had vowed each other’s de-
struction, pouring forth their myriads, by various
roads, to decide their fate by arms. Figure to
yourself two of these cities, equal in size and
population, and situated about a hundred paces
from. eachother ; observe their countless num-
bers, equal to the population of two mighty em-

96 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

pires. The whole space which separates them,
for the breadth of twenty-four inches... appears
alive with prodigious crowds. The ies meet
midway between their habitations, and thenj join
battle. Thousands of champions mounted on —
more elevated spots engage in single combat,
and seize each other with their son bath side
a still greater number are engaged on. sides
in taking prisoners, which make vain efforts to
escape, conscious of the cruel fate which awaits
them. The spot where the battle most rages is
about two or three square feet in dimensions; a
penetrating odour exhales on all. sides,—num-
bers of ants are here lying dead, covered. with
yenom,—others composing groups) and chains are
hooked together by the legs or jaws, and drag
each other alternately i in contrary directions all
the strongest party prevails, and the single com-
bats recommence. At the approach of night each
party gradually retreats to its own city; but-be-
fore the following dawn the combat is renewed
with redoubled fury, and. occupies a larger space,
inspiring you to exclaim with the poet’s martial
fervour, |

mtd

“¢ The combat deepens—on, ye brave !”” vn
"San

These daily fights continue till ne rains
separating them, they forget their quarrel, and

—

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. - 97

“peace is restored. It is very astonishing that,
‘though they are all of the same make, colour,
and scent, every one seemed to know those
‘of ‘his own party, and if one was attacked by
mistake it was immediately discovered by the
assailant, and caresses succeeded to blows. The
presence of M. Huber, who was a witness of one
of these battles, did not in the least disturb them.
Though all was fury on the field of battle, on the
other side were ants peaceably going on their usual
avocations, and the whole formicary seemed tran-
quil and orderly, except where they were march-
ing torecruit the army, or bring home prisoners.
‘I know not whether you will feel much disposed
to believe what I am now going to relate to you,
‘but it rests on the respectable authority of M.
Huber, who discovered it. What do you think
of ants going out on expeditions to procure slaves
for their domestic purposes? and that these ants
are red, while the slaves are black ! M. Huber
appeals to all who doubt the fact to observe it
for themselves ; but as we cannot do so in this
“country we must trust to his testimony, which,
let us remark, was given in a country where it
inight be observed. There are two species of
ants which engage in these expeditions, for-
mica rufescens and formica sanguinea ; but they
F

98 CO LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

do not, like the African kings, make slaves of
the older ones; their object being to carry, off
the infants of the colony, the larve and pup2,
which they educate in their own nests till they
arrive at their perfect state, when. they under-
take all the business of the society. The ru-
fescent ants do not go on these excursions, which
last about ten weeks, till the males are ready to
emerge into the perfect state ; and it is very re-
markable, that if any individuals attempt to'stray
abroad earlier, they are detained by their slaves, -
who will not suffer them to proceed ; a wonder-
ful provision of the Creator to prevent the black
colonies from being pillaged when. they contain
only male and female brood, which would be
their total destruction, without being any benefit
to their assailants, to whom workers alone: are
useful. Their time of sallying forth is from two
to five o’clock, if the weather is fine. Previously
to marching they send out scouts, and. proceed
to the quarter from whence they come. The
advanced guard usually consists of eight or ten
ants ; but no sooner do these get beyond the rest;
than they move back, wheeling round in a) semi-
circle, and mixing with the main body, while
others succeed to their station. They have “mo
captain, overseer, or ruler,’ as Solomon observes,

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 99

their army being composed entirely of neuters.
They do not confine themselves to the negro ants;
for, if nearer, they sometimes attack the mining
ants, which are much more courageous, and there-
fore they ‘move with closer order and rapidity.
The miners dart upon them, fight foot-to foot, and
defend their progeny with unexampled courage.
‘During these combatsthe pillaged ant-hill presents
in miniature, the spectacle of a besieged city ; hun-
dreds of its inhabitants may be seen making their
escape, and carrying off their young brood, and
the newly excluded females, to a place of safety;
but. when the danger is over they bring them
back, and’ barricade their city, placing a strong
fBuard ‘at the entrance——Formica sanguinea is
another of the slave-making ants. On the 15th
’ of July, atten in themorning, Huber observed a —
small band of these ants sallying forth from their
nest ‘and marching rapidly to a neighbouring
nest of negroes, around which it dispersed. The
inhabitants rushing out, attacked and took several
prisoners ; those that escaped stopped, appearing
to-wait for succours ; small brigades kept fre-
quently arriving, which emboldened them to ap-
proach ‘nearer to the city they blockaded ; upon
this ‘their anxiety to send home messengers
seemed to increase; these spreading a general
é F2

100 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

alarm, a large reinforcement immediately set out
to join the besieging army ; yet even then they
did not begin the battle. Almost all the negroes
coming out of their fortress, formed themselves
in a body of about two feet square in front of
it, and there expected the enemy. Frequent
skirmishes were the prelude to the main con-
flict, which was begun by the: negroes.. Long
before success appeared dubious, they carried off
their pupz and heaped them up at the entrance
to their nest, on the side opposite to: the enemy.
The young females also fled to the same quarter.
The sanguine ants at length rushed upon'the -ne-
groes, and attacking them on all ‘sides, after a
stout resistance, the latter renouncing all defence,
endeavoured to make off to a distance with, the
pupe they had heaped up: the assailants pursued
and endeavoured to. gain the prize. Many also
entered the nest and carried off the young brood
left behind. A garrison being left in the captured
city, on the following morning the business of
transporting the brood is renewed. It often
happens that the invaders take up their habita-
tion in their new conquest. Because these negro
ants are made slaves, you must not imagine they
are treated with rigour or unkindness. They
have only the same labours they must have

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 101

performed in their native nest, except, indeed,
feeding their masters and carrying them about.
Alas! that laziness should infect even the most
industrious of animals! for they do not join in
the labour, or even direct their slaves, and when
not on the field of battle are quite helpless, being
even unwilling to feed themselves. » Indeed they
are so dependent on the slaves, that, by a natural
consequence, the latter seem to exercise a kind
of authority over them. They will not suffer
them, for instance, to go from the nest alone, and
if they return to the nest without booty, show
their displeasure by attacking them, and when
they attempt to enter, dragging them out; so
you see that they pay dearly for their laziness,
. as all must who depend on others for what they

ought:to do themselves. Adieu. »

vig rire 1¥ jRI FV gGpi ess

102 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

Gong 8 Saar
S9D19 DHBtol
HMOs “AU9808%Ie
O28 SSN Ms mods oveib
LETTER KS, 02 WOME. Demy
LLiJSITIOG . .2WOo
Wrar I have next to relate, my deat Harriet,
will be still more difficult to believe than’ the
foregoing. What do you think of ants having
their milch cattle? “The evidence for it is‘abun-
dant and satisfactory. ‘The loves of the ants and
the aphides (the small insects which ‘swarm/on
the stalks of roses, &c. &c.) have long? been
celebrated, and at the ‘proper season ‘you ‘may
observe them busy in obtaining their satclisrine
fluid, which we may callmilk. § 9 SY @"
This fluid, which is scarcely inferior to honey
in sweetness (and is, in fact, called’ honey-dew
when found on leaves), issues in limpid drops
from the abdomen of the insect by these orifices.
The ants are always at hand to watch for these
drops, which they seize and suck down; but if
they choose they can make them yield it at their
pleasure, or rather milk them. They use their
antenne for fingers, with which they pat the
aphis briskly till it yields its milk. But the most
singular part of this history is, that the ‘ants

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 103

make a property of these cows, which they fight
for, and endeavour to keep to themselves. If
strangers attempt to share their treasure, they
drive them away with as much anger as a farmer
would show to a thief he found milking his
cows. Sometimes to rescue them they take them
in. their mouths, and even, if the branch is ¢con-
veniently situated, inclose it in.a tube of earth
or other. materials, and thus confine them in a
kimd..of paddock near the nest!
The greatest cow-keeper of all is the yellow
ant, which is met with in our pastures. This
species, which is not fond of roaming, and likes
to. have every thing within reach, usually collects
in. its, nest a large herd of a kind of aphis that
lives on the roots of grass, and thus, without
going out, has always a copious supply of food.
They. take as much, care of, them | as of their
own offspring, and attend the eggs particularly,
moistening them with their tongues, and giving
them the advantage of the sun. ‘They are equally
careful after they are hatched, fighting fiercely
for them ‘if attacked; but we shall not be sur-
-prised at this> when we consider that they pro-
duce almosttheir only food, and thus their wealth
and prosperity depend on the number of their
cattle, .. | |

104 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

When some species’ of ants (chiefly the great
hill-ant) find their habitation incommodious, they’
often emigrate, and the first step is to raise re-
cruits; and this is done in a manner very | like
that pursued by our own army. They eagerly
accost their fellow citizens, caress them with their
antenne, and evidently propose the journey to
them. Ifthey seem disposed to go, the recruit-
ing officer carries off his recruit, who, hanging
by his mandibles, is coiled up spirally under his.
neck. Sometimes, however, they take them by
surprise, and drag them away, as in our impr
service for the navy. When arrived at the right
place, the recruit is dropped and becomes a re-~
cruiter in his turn; and thus they proceed till
the city is established: the old nest goes on as
usual. They work in the night as well as the
day, though not in such great numbers, as they
are fond of warmth. They make good roads
and paths, in which they always travel. Huber
says that the roads of the hill-ants are sometimes
a hundred feet in length, and several inches
wide, and that they are a out by their

labour. *.
The perseverance of ants on one occasion led —

to very important results, which affected a large

portion of the world; for the celebrated con-

{oy

7 .¥
LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 105.

queror Timour being once forced to take shelter
from his enemies ina ruined building, where he
sat alone many hours, desirous of diverting his
mind from his hopeless condition, he fixed his
observation upon an ant that was carrying a
grain 1 of ec corn (probably. a pupa) larger than itself
up a high wall. Sixty-nine times the grain fell
to the ground, “but the seventieth time the ant
reached the top of the wall. g This sight (said
Timour) gave me courage at the moment, and I
have never forgotten the lesson it conveyed. hy

Yo “must 1 not suppose that the ants have all

work and no play. They find time for their

ot &. 201

sports and games, which have been described by
Gould’ and d Bonnet ; but Huber gives the most
: circumstantial account of them. He once ap-
proached one of the nests of the hill-ants, ex-
posed to. the sun and sheltered from the north ;
here the ants were basking together in great
numbers, and gamboling about. None were
working, so that it seemed a general holiday :
let us imagine it a festival given on some great
sion. He saw them approach, moving their
=. very quickly, and with their fore feet
pat ‘the cheeks of other ants ; after, they reared
up and seemed to wrestle, and seized each other
in different ways; then let go to renew the at-
F 5

106 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

tack; then turned each other over, and lifted
each other by turns; then left those, and ran
after others.. The combat did not terminate till
the least animated having thrown his antagonist,
escaped into some gallery. Well,my dear Harriet,
what do you think of this clever little people?
Does it not occur to you, that if we imitated
more closely their various good qualities, we
should be much better than we are? In doing
this we should but follow the wisdom of the
great Creator, who has given them these extra-
ordinary instincts, and has bestowed on us the
higher boon of being able to draw rational con-
clusions from them, which will, if we observe
rightly, lead to the same end. Adieu.

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 107

eV

LETTER XI.

MY DEAR _ FRIEND,

THERE i is a tribe of insects more
numerous and more yaried than almost any
other, and. which furnishes a great branch of
their natural history—I mean the tribe of flies.

The number of species greatly exceeds that of
butterflies, but in. general they are very much
smaller; there are, however, some which greatly
surpass them i in size; dragon-flies, for instance,
whose bodies are longer than those of the largest
- butterflies. Grasshoppers belong to the class of
flies, and some are of considerable size; but the
greatest part are comparatively very small, and
some so diminutive, that the different species
cannot be distinguished from each other.

The principal distinction of flies from other
winged insects is the transparency of their wings,
which are neither powdered like the butterfly’s,

nor enclosed in sheath-cases like the beetle’s.
‘There are two general classes, according to Reau-
mur, those with two wings, and those with four.
The two-winged flies have, in place of the under

108 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

wings, poisers and sometimes winglets. ‘The
poisers are little membranaceous threads, placed
one under the origin of each wing, near a spiracle
or breathing hole, and ‘terminated by an oval,
round, or triangular button, which seems capable
of dilatation and contraction. The winglets are
of rigid membrane, and fringed, and’ generally
consist of two ‘concavo-convex pieces ‘situated
between the wing and the poisers, which, when
the insect reposes, fold over each other like the
valves of a bivalve shell; but when it flies they
are extended. If either of the winglets or poisers
are cut off, the insect flies unsteadily, and leans
to one side. The buzzing or humming of a fly
is produced by the vibration of the root of the
wings, and in most instances by the winglets
and poisers. Though in their general appear-
ance flies greatly resemble each other, yet in the
form of the head and organs of feeding there is
a material difference. Some have a trunk with-
out any teeth ; some have a mouth without either
trunk or teeth; others have a mouth furnished
with teeth, and others have both trunk and
teeth. To give you a few examples. All the
bee species have a trunk and two teeth above it:
all the tribe of wasps have a mouth and two
teeth inside. The plant-lice or aphides, which,

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 109

whether winged or not, are im reality flies, have
trunks and no: teeth... Reaumur also places the
grasshoppers among the flies. » There is another
species, which however is. scarce, that of flies
which have.a long pointed /head like a bird's
beak;-at the end of which are the instruments
with which it feeds.' A very pretty fly which
hovers round flowers is an example, of it, and has
its long head split at the end, which opens like
a beak. 90)

~ Anoimstance of the iaidirtines of the differ-.
ence in the form of the head, I can give you in
those! flies which sometimes in summer bite. so
sharply even through a covering, and instantly
draw blood: ‘To a superficial or ever attentive
observer, they exactly resemble the commen
house-flies, which often fall a sacrifice to the
unfortunate likeness ; yet they are not even of
the same genus, the culprit being of the genus
stomozys, armed with a horny sharp-pointed
weapon, and the innocent victim of the genus
musca, having only a soft blunt organ for suction.
_ Another important difference is between the
weapons they carry on the tail. Those which are
armed with a sting are but too well known ; but
others are formed in a manner no less admirable
and more harmless. Many females of the fly

110 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

kind have a long instrument for the purpose of.
_ piercing a hole in which to deposit their, eggs)
in safety, which is called an ovipositor... Many.
of the ichneumon kind which deposit their eggs.
in living animals have this long tail, which is a.
most admirable instrument. The grasshoppers,
in particular, have a large and strong ovipositor,
but it is partly concealed by the body. In /o-
custa viridissima, the green English lecust, which
is frequently found in grass, it is very con-
spicuous. The saw-flies have for the same pur-
pose a most admirable and effective saw, which
is contained in their bodies; but if I were to
enumerate all the various and beautiful,instances
of exquisite contrivance observable eyen in this
tribe, it would go far beyond the limits of a
letter: I shall therefore mention what occurs. to
me, in a desultory manner.

It must, I think, have often seated you to
see flies walking upon glass, and the cieling,and
walls. It was formerly supposed to be. per-
formed by means of the hooks with which their
feet. were furnished, and to the smokiness and
ruggedness of the glass ; but as they walk equally
“well on it when just cleaned, and on the most ,
polished mirror, we must find another reason.
It is ascertained that they are furnished with

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. lil

suckers which support them by the pressure of
the atmosphere. These suckers consist of a
membrane capable of extension and contraction ;
they are concavo-convex, with scollopped edges,
the concave surface being downy, and the convex
granulated. When in action they are separated
from each other, and the membrane expanded
so as to increase the surface: by applying this
closely to the glass, the air is sufficiently expelled
to produce the pressure necessary to keep the
animal from falling. When the suckers are dis-
engaged, they are brought together again so as
to be confined within the space between the two
claws: this may be seen by watching the move-
ments of a fly, inside a glass tumbler, with a
common microscope. If you wet a piece of
leather, and apply it closely to any thing, you
will see an example of this suction in the dif-
ficulty you will find in detaching it. .You must
have often observed that in the autumn the flies
begin to move more slowly, and appear some-
times to stick to the glass; Mr. White remarks
on this, that when their strength diminishes,
the atmospheric pressure proves too strong for
them to overcome, and they appear to labour
along. They are besides furnished with a amu
of bristles or hooks, and claws.

112 ‘LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

There are fourteen thousand hemispheres or
eyes distinguishable in the large eyes of the
drone-fly, and each of these is a perfect eye,
being furnished with a cornea, a transparent
humour, and a retina. The most remarkable of —
insects for its eyes, is the libella, or dragon-fly
Leeuwenhick reckons in both twenty-five thou- |
sand and eighty-eight lenses, placed in an hex-
angular position. He also numbered six thou-
sand two hundred and thirty-six in those of the
silk-worm in the image state, and eight thousand
in the common fly. These large eyes. are ‘all *

immoveable, and so placed that the insect! éah ”

see on all sides without turning. Reaumur
asserts, that many kinds have besides three small
eyes on the back of the head. 5 AR FOP TA

Flies, in common with other insects, breathe’ ’

by means of spiracles or breathing nea An”

athe

whether two or four-winged, which have an in-
dividual corslet or thorax to which the six legs
are fastened, have four of these breathing-holes, —
two on each side the corslet. They have also
others on the wings or segments of the body,”
but less considerable. They are placed igo” zs
ways on the body, being” oblong, with: raised”
edges, and generally of a different colour from
the body ; they are most easily’ discovered in'the |

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 113

large dragon-flies. . If these breathing-holes or
mouths are stopped. by plunging the insect in
oil, or any other thick substance, suffocation is
the consequence; indeed they may be truly called
aérial beings, for air is the only circulating me-
dium through the veins and branches of their
wings, consequently their activity depends on
the state of the atmosphere.

The gnats are but too exquisitely ; Senedd for
our repose. The trunk, if we may so call the
complex weapon in its mouth, is highly deserving
of a particular description, though I do not know
that the beauty of it can console us for the pain
it causes. . It consists of an open cylindrical
sheath, containing five pieces, which are like
pikes and saws. The sheath is not slit all the
way. down, and we shall see the reason. The
point which pierces the skinis composed of several
others, and comes out of the round end of the
sheath ; and as this sting, if we may so call it,
must entirely enter the flesh to draw blood, the
sheath, which is necessarily strong and stiff, and
cannot pierce also, bends away the sting, which,
except at the point, comes out of the slit part,
and the sheath makes an angle underneath, and
is drawn up towards the head. I do not know
whether you can understand this description,

114 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

which Reaumur has illustrated. with engravings,
but I fear L cannot make it clearer.. The beau-
tiful feathery antenne of many kinds are,visible
even to the naked eye.|. The tapulide, which,
strongly resemble the gnat, are, however; essen-
tially different in not having any trunk or offen-.
sive weapon ; they have only a mouth» without;
even any teeth. They are a very numerous tribe,
and are probably generally mistaken for gnats. .
They are for the greatest part born under ground,
while the maggot of the gnat is always» aquatic.
You must often observe, even in winter, clouds.
of little flies at different times of the day, which
are constantly rising and falling in a straight
line; and these are commonly of this: species;
and quite harmless. The largest. tipula appeats
to be mounted on stilts, having legs of aumost
disproportionate length, which, however, are
well adapted for walking in grasse. 5) 5

The saw-flies are four-winged, and:have two
saws indented like ours; but much morecuriously;
for the teeth themselves are indented again, and
the fly in using them makes a double:action; by
drawing one back while she pushes. the:other
forward. The use of them is to make.a hole in
the branches of different trees for the: mene
of the eggs. 3 lo Tipe?

LETTERS’ ON ENTOMOLOGY. 115

_ The grasshopper tribes, or gryllide, and the
Cicada (tettigoniw), are chiefly remarkable for the
noise or chirping they make ; which however is
confined tethe males, asthe females are quitemute.
The common grasshopper produces his morning
and evening song by applying his posterior shank
to'the thigh, and rubbing it briskly against the
elytrum, or wing-case ; this it does alternately
with ‘the right and left legs: they have also a
tympanum or drum. De Geer thus describes it:

Oneach side of the first segment of the ab-
domen, immediately above the origin of the
hind »legs,) there is a considerable and deep
aperture of rather an oval form, which is partly
closed:/by-an irregular flat plate, or operculum,
_ of ahard substance, but covered with a wrinkled
flexible membrane. The opening left by this
operculum is crescent-shaped, and at the bottom
of the cavity is a white skin tightly stretched aver,
and shining like a little mirror. On that side
of the aperture, which is towards the head, there
is a little oval hole into which the point of a pin
may be introduced «without resistance. When
the «pellicle is removed, a large cavity appears.
This description, which is that of the migratory
locust (gryllus migratorius), answers very well
to the tympanum of the common grasshoppers

116 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

The vibrations caused by the friction of the
thighs and elytra striking upon this drum, are
reverberated by it. The crickets make their
intolerable chirping by rubbing the bases of
their elytra against each other. I must describe
their form to give you some idea how they do
it. The elytra of both sexes are divided longi-
tudinally into two portions ; a vertical or lateral
one which covers the sides, and a horizontal or
dorsal one which covers the back.

In the female both these portions resemble
each - other in their nervures or veins, which
running obliquely i in two directions, by their in-
tersection, form numerous small meshes of a
lozenge shape: the elytra of these have no ele-
vation at the base. In the males the vertical
portion does not materially differ from that of
the females ; but in the horizontal, the base of
each elytrum is elevated so as to form a cavity
underneath. The nervures also, which are
stronger and more prominent, run here and there
into different kinds of forms ; particularly near
the end of the wing you may observe a space
nearly circular, with the vein running round it.
The friction of the nervures of the upper or”
convex surface of the base of the left-hand
elytrum, which is undermost, against those of

3

a)

/. locista Vaoulissanus — Green English Locust. Female.
2, Cureulio Impertalis. Jnamond Beetle. 3, Scarabacs Auratus. Green Rose Be
1, Blatla gigantea — Gigantic Cockroach.

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 117

the lower or concave surface of the base of the
right hand, which is uppermost, will commu-
nicate vibrations to the areas of membrane more
or less intense in proportion to the rapidity of
friction. Nothing can be more annoying than the
continual chirping of the house-cricket, which,
however, can be silenced in general, I believe,
by a still greater noise. Ledelius relates, that a
woman who had tried in vain every method to
banish them from her house, at last got rid of
them by the noise of drums and trumpets which
she had procured to entertain her Enea ‘at a
wedding. « They instantly forsook \the botioe.
and did not return.

In locusta viridissima, our green English
locust, which is very common, there is in that

‘part of the right elytrum which is folded over

the trunk, a round plate made of very fine trans-
parent membrane, resembling a little mirror or
piece of talc, of the tension ofa drum. This
membrane is surrounded with a very strong and
prominent nervure, and is concealed under the
fold of the left elytrum, which has also several
prominent nervures answering to the margin of
this membrane. De Geer further remarks, that
there is every reason to believe that the brisk
movement with which the grasshopper rubs its

118 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY:

nervures against each other, produces» vibration
in the membrane, augmenting the sound. The
males in question sing continually in the hedges
and trees during the months of July and August,
especially towards sunset and part of the night;
but when any one approaches, they immediately
stop. Some of the tribe of cicade are far more
noisy than any of the preceding, and the Brazilian
cicada is said to be heard at the distance of a
mile, which is as if a man of ordinary stature
could be heard all over the country. ‘To produce
this amazing sound they have a very complex
and wonderful organ. Under the body-of the
male is a pair of large plates of amirregular form
—in some semi-oval, in others triangular, in
others again a segment of a circle of greater:or
less. diameter—covering the anterior part of the
abdomen, and fixed to the trunk between ‘that
and the hind legs: these are the drum-covers or
opercula, from beneath which the sound. issues:
At the base of the posterior legs, just above each
operculum, there is a small pointed triangular
process, the object of which, as Reaumur: sup-
poses, is to prevent them from being too much
elevated. When an operculum is removed, ‘bes
neath it is perceived, on the exterior side, ahollow
cavity, with a mouth somewhat linear,-which

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 119

_ seems to open into the interior of the abdomen:
next to this, on the inner side, is another large
cavity of an irregular shape, the bottom of which
is divided into three portions ; of these the pos-
terior is lined obliquely with a beautiful mem-
brane, which is very tense—in some species semi-
opaque, and in others transparent—reflecting all
the celours of the rainbow. This mirror is not
the realvorgan of sound, but is supposed to mo-
dulate it.. The middle portion is occupied by a
plate. ef-a horny substance placed horizontally,
and forming the bottom of the cavity: en its
inner side this plate terminates in a carina or
elevated ridge, common to both drums. Between
the plate and the after-breast (postpectus) an-
other. membrane, folded transversely, fills an
oblique; oblong, or semi-lunar cavity. It is some-_
times seen in tension, and probably the insect
can stretch or relax it at pleasure; but the organ
which preduces the sound remains yet to be
described, and can only be discovered by dis-
section. A,portion of the first and second seg-
ments being removed from that side of the back
of the abdomen which answers to the drums, two
buridles ‘ofmuscles, meeting each other im an
acute» angle, ‘attached to a place opposite the
point of the:mucro of the-first ventral segment

~

120 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

of the abdomen, will appear. These» bundles

consist of a prodigious number of muscular fibres
appled to each other, but easily separated.
Whilst Reaumur was examining one of them,

-pulling it from its place with a pin; ‘he let it go

again, and immediately the usual sound was
emitted, though the animal had been long dead.

On each side of the drum-cavities, when the
opercula are removed, another cavity of a
roundish shape, opening into the mterior of the
abdomen, is observable: in this is the true drum.
Tf, in this last cavity, the lateral part of the first
dorsal segment of the abdomen is removed, a
semi-opaque and nearly semicircular concavo-
convex membrane, with transverse folds, is dis-
covered. Each bundle of muscles is terminated
by a tendinous plate nearly circular, from which
issue several little tendons that, forming a thread,
pass through an aperture in the horny piece that
supports the drum, and are attached toits under
or concave surface. Thus the muscles being
alternately relaxed and contracted, will, by their
play, draw in and let out the drum: ‘so that its
convex surface being thus rendered concave
when pulled in, when let out, a sound will be
produced by the effort to recover its convexity ;
which sound striking upon the mirror and other

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 121

membranes; will be modulated and. augmented
by them. »-What can»be more complex and ad-
mirable tham all this apparatus?) We know not
how many wonders. are-contained in the ap-
parently insignificant beings we tread under foot
every day, without even seeing them.
.Thercommon dragon-fly, or Libellula varia, is
a very beautiful insect, and is generally found
near water; it-hasa very large head, with con-
spicuous eyes, large transparent wings, with
black veins, and a very long body richly varie-
gated-with blue and black. It is of a very ra-
pacious nature, and preys on the smaller insects,
but is perfectly destitute of a sting. It proceeds
from adarva which inhabits the water, and is of
‘avery peculiar and disagreeable form. During
“this'state, which lasts two years, it is as rapacious:
as when perfect. When the period of its change
is arrived, it ascends the stem of some water-
plant, and by a few efforts breaks open the skin
of the back, when the inclosed dragon-fly gra-
dually emerges; its wings, which are at first
very short, tender, and contracted, expanding by
degrees to their full size. In the space of about
half an hour the change is complete; and the
same animal which before that time would have
been killedby any long exposure to the air, would
G

122 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

now be as effectually destroyed by submersion
under water. I have told you but a small part of
the wonders and perfections of this beautiful tribe
of insects, which even a casual observer must be
struck with, and which every summer presents
in almost inconceivable variety. While we ad-
mire their exquisite symmetry and brilliant tints,
let us, my dear Harriet, be thankful for the
blessing of sight, of which so many are deprived;
and for which, if restored, they would doubtless
be far more grateful than we are, who con-.
stantly enjoy the pleasures it brings. Adieu.

y ete

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 123

QOMISAU HS 2 : i)
Gis : iH

LETTER XII.

I sHabu next, my dear friend, call your at-
tention to a race which offers a striking example
of perseverance and industry, and which even
more than those which live in great societies
show us what those qualities can effect. They
do not, as we all too often do, shrink from dif-
ficulties and supinely content themselves with
doing only what is easy, but unassisted, for the
most part, they perform their task, and in ge-
neral it is an arduous one.

The bee species is not confined to those
which make honey and wax; there are many
other kinds, which not being useful to man, are
scarcely known, though very common.

The hive we may compare to a large and
populous city ; the wasp’s nest, or vespiary, to
a country town ; and the humble bee’s nest to a
village. Those who live alone may be compared
to savages, who depend not on ee assistance of
others.

The wasps, which are momeatoeelly disliked as

G2

124 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

bold and annoying robbers, are not quite so, dis-
agreeable or unamiable as they appear 5 they are
brisk and lively, do not attack unprovoked, and
generally rob us to feed their young ones.

Their societies consist of females, males, and
workers. The large females are as large as six of
the workers, and lay both male and female eggs.
The small females are as large:as the workers,
and lay only male eggs... The, queen..wasp
founds her colony and does all the work. till the
young ones can assist her; yet in the autumn:the
vespiary sometimes contains 16,000 cells: eyen
at this time, with so much help, she sets, an
example of diligence to the whole. community.
The male wasps are much smaller than; the fe-
males, being about twice as large as the workers.
They are not quite idle, for they are the scavengers
of the community, and sweep the. passages and
streets, carrying off all the filth. ‘They also re-
move the dead bodies. 4

The workers are the most numerous, and: to
us the only troublesome part of their’ society-
In the summer and autumn they go forth by
myriads to forage the country, and.on) their
return, after reserving sufficient for the young
brood, they divide the spoil with) great \im-
partiality. . Another employment. for) them. is

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 125

the repairing and enlarging of the nest. Each
individual has its portion of work assigned, from
an inch to an inch and a half, and is furnished
with a ball of ligneous fibre, scraped by its power-
ful jaws from posts, rails, &c. They all perish
on the approach of the cold season, except a few
of the females, who remain torpid.

‘Reaumur made a glass hive for them, and was
thus enabled to watch their proceedings, without
offending them, which we know is no very easy
“We now come to the villagers, which the
humble bees may be truly called. They live in
companies of fifty and sixty, in a rustic-looking
habitation. They are much larger than the hive
bee, and fly about with a much louder humming.
_ They are divided into four orders ; large females,
small females, males, and workers. The first,
like the female wasps, are the original founders
of their republics. They come out in the autumn,
and pass the winter, as appears from an observa-
tion of Huber’s, in a particular apartment sepa-
rate from the rest, and rendered warm by a
carpeting of grass and moss, but without any
food. |

If they do not find a hole ready for their nest,
they make one in the ground, which is prin-

126 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

cipally destined to hold the young ones there
is nothing remarkable in its appearance, being
like a mound of earth covered with:moss ; but
on examination this moss is found to be com-
posed of a great quantity of filaments ‘and fibres,
brought and curiously interwoven by the bees,
in such a manner that the rain cannot penetrate.
Sometimes they add a thin coating inside, of the
same substance of which honey-combs are made,
and. under this vault are piled two or three combs.
They feed the young ones with a paste madevof
pollen.and honey, but the males and females’are
fed with pure honey, like the hive bees. ° “The
mother puts her egg into a certain portion of
this paste ; so that when the grub comes‘out it
has nothing to do but to eat. It is probably to
moisten this paste that they keep a provision of
honey, which they put into the empty cocoons
of the grubs, though sometimes a sede little
honey-pots like goblets.

I cannot refrain from relating an’ aauitie
which particularly struck me. » In the course of
his ingenious experiments, M. Huber put under
a bell-glass about a dozen humble bees; without ©
any store of wax, along with a comb of about
ten silken cocoons, so unequal-in height, that
it was impossible the mass should stand. firmly.

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 127

Ats unsteadiness disquieted the humble bees ex-
tremely. Their affection for their young led
them: to mount upon the cocoons for the sake of
imparting warmth to the inclosed little ones ; but
im attempting this, the comb tottered so violently,
that the scheme was almost impracticable. ‘To
remedy this inconvenience, and to make the comb
steady, they had recourse to a2 most ingenious
expedient. Two or three bees got upon the
comb, stretched themselves over its edge, and
oith their heads downwards, fixed their fore
feet on the table on which it stood, whilst with
their hind feet they kept it from falling. In this
“constrained and painful posture, fresh bees re-
»lieving their comrades when weary, did these
. affectionate little insects support the comb for
nearly, three days! At the end of this period
. they had prepared enough wax, with which they
built pillars that kept it firm ; by some accident
* the comb was again unsettled, and they performed
the same maneeuvre till M. Huber took com-
‘passion on them and propped it up.

There is a solitary bee which I shall mention
first as haying apparently an elegant taste.
-Reaumur calls her the tapestry bee. She in-

variably chooses for the hangings of her cell the
leaves. of the bright scarlet poppy, and seems to

128 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

disdain a more homely colour. She first makes
a hole in the ground, which she polishes and,
makes quite smooth ; then cutting out oval pieces
of the poppies, she returns and fits them to the
walls, smoothing the wrinkles, and eutting off
the superfluous parts. She puts three or four
layers on the bottom and two at the sides. Then
filling it about half an inch deep with honey
and pollen, and committing an egg to it, she
wraps over the poppy-lining, and fills it up with
earth. |
The solitary bee pierces a hole in wood which
is sometimes twelve or fifteen inches long, and
large enough to admit of her free entranee. For
this purpose she generally attacks old dry wood, _
as posts, &c. and sometimes thick doors or gates.
It appears a formidable undertaking for so small,
an insect to hollow out and clear away twelve
or fifteen inches of wood, yet that is merely the
case of the nest. She is then obliged to divide
it into cells, of which every one is seven or eight
lines high, and is destined for one maggot ; they
are separated by a kind of ceiling, which is made
after the maggot is deposited in the cell; but
not content with providing a dwelling, she also
gives it a certain quantity of food. This food
is the paste of pollen and honey, and ;when she

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 129

has célledtéd though; she puts it in’and closes
the''éell"" When the ‘maggot has ‘consumed ‘its
food; it changes to'a nymph, and’ ‘afterwards to
a Bee.” We way call these thé carpenter's, and
those of which’ f° shall next speak; the’ masons ;
they make véry @o6d mortar for! building’ their
nests, ‘which aré cbllectHong “df tells tinde? one
cover.” Théy prefer attaching thém to walls

as Tareas “half an’ ege' cut longWways, they are
generally passed over as a lump of mortar or
mud’! But Whe examined, eight or ten cavities,
more’ oF '1éss, Are dis¢overéd, sonie filled with
very small inaggots in’ a quantity of paste, others’
with lage’ ones aiid little paste, and others with
nymphs and bees. © These cell8 are in the form ©

of a thimble with an egg at the end, and‘are ©
quite filled up with paste, and stopped at the
large end.’ When this is done, the bee (for it
is all performed’ by one) fills up the ‘Spaces be-
tween the cells’ with rougher mortar. This sub-
stanée’is like ours,’ chiefly coiposed of sand,
but mixed with a little earth } however; she does
not make use of lime as we do, but substitutes a
glutinous liquor from her mouth: After having
madeé'a little lump, she earties and fixes it with
her teeth. What indefatigable industry must be

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130 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

required in this work, and how hard ‘we should
consider our case if obliged to such unremitting
labour! nevertheless those who studiously’ en-
deavour to perform all their duties will find
almost as much to do as the bees, though in a
more varied and amusing manner, it must be
confessed. Low arg: th
Another kind of bee constructs her nest in a
quite different manner, and with still greater ad-
dress. She is hardly so large as the common bee,
and hides her admirable work underground. The
materials are simple, being merely pieces of leaves
from the mulberry-tree, elm, rose-tree; &c.'' The
exterior of each nest resembles a toothpick ease,
both in size and form, being a tube rounded at the
ends. Its natural position is horizontal, and some
inches under the surface of the earth ; therefore
the first labour of the bee is to hollow a hole for
. its reception, which in itself requires strength
and patience. The nest itself is formed of a
number of pieces of leaf, of an oval form, folded
~ and adjusted one over the other. If this enve-
lope is taken off, we discover a number of smaller
cases, made in the same way, like small thimbles
with the smaller end slipped into the open part
of another. Each of these is a cell where the
maggot is to live, and at the same time a vase

©

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 131

for the honey it is to feed on; so that it must be

carefully stopped, and perhaps you would not

guess how.;. When a cell is finished, the bee de-

posits the egg, and fills it up with honey ; but as

the nest,is placed horizontally it would run out ;

shetherefore takes the simplest and best mode

of preventing it, by cutting from a leaf around
piece, of the exact size, which she fits into the
edge. of the little vase, and to make it sure adds
two more. .To obtain these round pieces, she
flies to a proper leaf, and seizing the edge with

her feet, cuts a round piece with her teeth quicker

than, we should do it with scissors. It is very
singular‘ how she should be able to remember

the exact size, which we should find difficult or
even, impossible. Like most other insects, the
female only has a sting. Reaumur first became

acquainted with these bees in rather a singular
manner, which he has related in his Memoires,
and which may amuse you. In the beginning
of July, 1736, the lord of a village on the Seine,
near Rouen, came to the Abbé Nollet, accom-
panied by several people, and his gardener
among others, who appeared in great consterna-
tion... He had come. to Paris to tell his master
that the garden was bewitched, and though he

_ apprehended the most dreadful consequences,

132 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

had actually the courage to bring with him what
he considered proof sufficient for the whole world,
and which had even deceived the minister him-
self. At the sight of these terrible things, his
master, though not quite so much alarmed. as
himself, was surprised, and consulted his sur-
geon, who knowing more of his own profession
than of natural history, referred him to the Abbé
Nollet as more capable of solving the mystery.
The gardener brought the roll of leaves, which
he firmly believed to have been made»by a
wizard, and with some very bad intention; for,
why else should any one take so much trouble?
Happily M. Nollet had by him some, similar
rolls made by beetles, which he showed. to the
man, assuring him they were formed by insects,
as, no doubt; his own were. He opened one of
the cells on the spot, and showed the maggot to -
the man, who certainly had never dared even to
think of prying into them; his sombre and.
anxious countenance instantly cleared up, as if
he had been delivered from some great danger.
One species of solitary wasp has a very curious
yianner of building or rather digging her nest.
These insects are rather smaller than the com-
mon wasp, and are chiefly black with yellow
stripes. They may be seen at work in June on.

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 133

walls built of flint and mortar.’ Although their ob-
jectis to make a hole, it appears quite otherwise ;
for they raise a kind of hollow tube’ of the earth
they dig out, and’ which is sometimnes two inches
long ;"it'is not however made to last, being only
a kind of scaffolding or bulwark till the work is
done. You may perhaps wonder how this insect
can penetrate so hard a substance as dried clay
or mortar ; but she is provided with’a liquor in
her mouth to soften it, and this serves to make
the particles of earth, of which the tube is made,
stick together. When this liquor is exhausted
she fetches water, or probably some juice of
plants, and proceeds with her work. This is
performed so rapidly that one has been observed
- to dig, in about an hour and a half, a hole equal
to the length of her body, and to raise the tube
in proportion. We need not ask why this hole
is made, for we must conclude it is for the re-
ception of her egg and the provision for the
maggot; but it does not appear at first why the
tube has been made with so much care; but the
more we see, the more we shall be convinced
that there is nothing useless in nature, and the
less-we shall be inclined to judge hastily. When
the egg and its provision are lodged im the bottom,
this tube is to her what a heap of bricks is to a

134 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

mason, and she pulls it to pieces to stop,»up the
hole again. You may perhaps object that it would
be as easy to lay it ina heap at once ; but no one
will deny that order is better than confusion,
and it is quite as little trouble to carry the par-
ticles and arrange them regularly as to throw
them down and have the greater trouble of
picking them up again; besides it serves as a
bulwark, for often when she is flying abroad, the
ichneumon fiy might deposit in the hole an egg,
which would become the deadly enemy of hers,
and while this fortress stands her absence can-
not be so well ascertained. When the cell: is
finished, and the egg laid in it, the careful mother
has next to supply food for the future maggot ;
and as they are carnivorous, perhaps you would
never guess how she provides for twelve ormore
days. When the hole is opened it is found full
of green grubs, curled round and piled on each
other, to the number of ten or twelve. « Their
backs are placed against the side of the hole ;
and as they are pressed closely together, cannot
move, though quite alive. These grubs are of
an opaque green, and always of the same species_
in each nest, or rather den. The wasp-maggot
is yellow, and increases in size as he eats his
prey, which he does in the following manner :

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 135

‘He begins at the nearest, and having sucked out
‘the inside, draws the skin and head to the bottom
of the cell, and begins another ; thus he proceeds
with all, devouring one each day, and then
‘spins himself a cone. This is rather remarkable
—the green grubs seem all of the same age, and
live all this while without eating; doubtless
the mother wasp chooses them at a time when
they are in a state of torpidity previous to their
change, when they would desire nothing better
‘than to lie quiet, which however they would be
obliged to do from the manner in which they
are piled. As it would be impossible for the
wasp to convey them rolled up through the
tube, she stretches them out, and carries them
in her feet under her own body. When laid
down, they naturally roll themselves up, and lie
quiet, though doubtless without guessing why
they are brought.

Another wasp of about the same size hunts
another kind of game for her young ones, which
certainly appears rather singular, for she catches
spiders, which have always been considered their
‘most potent enemies. In some heles seyen or
eight have been found always of the same species.
Some ichneumon wasps feed their maggots with
flies ; and if the holes are opened they will be

136 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. —

found strewed like the dens of wild beasts with

legs, wings, heads, and other ‘remains of their’
unfortunate victims ; but the maggot does not |
let them lie useless, as he uses them to Pasa his
cone more substantial. | 7

Many kinds of wasps are wood rere
Reaumur had a piece of old wood in which,
on splitting, he found many cavities ‘filled with
pretty flies and an oblong yellowish egg. Having ;
split it still further, he found many others of dif!
ferent kinds, but each cell had but one Kind of fy
in it, though some had little caterpillars. Per-
haps many pieces of old wood, which we push
aside in walking, contain these curious and in-
genious fabrications.

There is a beautiful wasp in St. Domingo,
which is of a brilliant golden green or blue,
with legs of a fine violet colour. They fly with
great agility, and are very fearless; they are
likewise very difficult to take, as their sting is
much more formidable than any common wasp
or bee, and much longer. They wage continual
war with the cock-roaches, which are very de-
structive in that country. When the wasp per-
ceives one she stops a moment, but soon darts
upon her helpless prey, and seizing its head
with her teeth, attempts to sting it in the softest

Orie

~~

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 137

part; when this.is-done she leaves the victim
and flies about, sure of finding it in the same
place. The poor cock-roach has then lost all
power of resisting its fierce enemy, who drags
it backwards to her hole; but if that is too far
off, she takes two or three turns in the air by
way of rest, and then proceeds: if the hole is too
small to admit it, she bites off its legs or wings.
It is high time to finish this long letter, so I
shall leave you to make your own reflections on
it, tilhI write again. . Adieu.
a0 r : aa ys a j2

a

138 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

LETTER XIII.

MY DEAR HARRIET, (ibs k

Iv is not day alone which presents
to our view the wonders and beauties of creation ; —
there are many insects which adorn the dark
robe of night with their diamond lustre; and in
hot countries, where evening is the season’ of
activity or pleasure, they are as useful as they
are beautiful. I allude to those insects which
are furnished with a luminous secretion, ineapa-
ble of burning, though affording a very vivid
light. The glow-worm, which is a common and
beautiful example, resembles a caterpillar, but
is, in reality, the perfect female of a winged
beetle, which in many instances, particularly in
Lampyris splendidulaand L. hemiptera,is adorned
with two or four luminous spots, which are seen
when flying, though not always, as they have
the power of withdrawing them from sight.
The females also have the same faculty, which
is necessary for their safety, and probably ac-
counts for their not being always found in places
where they usually abound. The light proceeds

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 139

from the three last ventral segments of the ab-
domen, but sometimes appears above, between
the dorsal segments or rings. Though most of
the females of the different species of Lampyris
are without wings, all are not so unfortunate ;
the female of Lampyris Italica, which is common
in Italy, and has even, been caught in Hertford-
shire, is winged.

Elater noctilucus, an insect of the beetle tribe,
is luminous in a higher degree. It is about an
inch long, and gives its principal light from two
tubercles placed upon the thorax, or upper part
of the body ; but there are also two luminous
spots under the wings, which show when the
insect flies, and give it a very beautiful appear-

ance, particularly as, when the body is stretched,
it seems filled with light, which shines out be-
tween the segments. This light is so brilliant,
that the smallest print may be read by moving
one of them along the lines; and in the West
Indian islands, the natives used to employ them
as lamps: when travelling, they would tie one
to each great toe, and needed no other light.
These useful insects, which they call Cucuij, are
also extremely beneficial by destroying the gnats,
which you know are such a pest in those
countries: for this purpose they catch the fire-

140 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

flies, and bring them into their houses. Besides
these there is a genus in the order Hemiptera,
called Fulgora, which have the English name’ of
lantern-flies, from the circumstance of their light
proceeding from a hollow sub-transparent pro-
jection of the head. In Fulgora candelaria, a
native of China, this projection is of a sub-
cylindrical shape, curved back at the point, above
an inch in length, and of the thickness of ‘small
quill, from which the insect emits a very power-
ful light. In Fulgora laternaria, a native of —
South America, which is two or three inches
long, this snout is much larger and broader, and
sheds a transcendent light. Madame Merian
informs us, that it is quite bright enough to read
a newspaper by. There is another species, F:
pyrrhorynchus, which must be still more beauti-
ful than this, as the projection is of a rich deep
purple from the base nearly to the end, which is
of a fine transparent scarlet. There is also'la
species of scolopendra (S. electrica), commonly
called centipedes or hundred-legs, which are
luminous, and very common in this country;
they may be found under the earth, and are very
visible at night. The mole-cricket,which is avery
scarce insect, is said to be luminous. The light
in the glow-worm, and in Elater noctilucus and

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 141

ignitus; proceeds from masses of a substance not
generally differing, except in its yellow colour,
from the rest of;the body, closely applied under
those transparent parts of the skin where the
light is seen. In the glow-worm, besides the
last-mentioned substance (which, when the sea-
son for giving light is passed, is absorbed and
replaced by the common substance), Mr. Ma-
cartney observed, on the inner side of the last
abdominal segment, two small oval sacs, formed
of an elastic spirally wound fibre, similar to that
of the trachez, containing a soft yellow substance
of a closer texture, and affording a more brilliant
light, less under the control of the insect than
the othem luminous parts, which it has the power
of voluntarily extinguishing, not by retraction
“ under.a membrane, as Carradori imagined, but
by some inscrutable change dependent upon its
will.. There have been various and contradictory
opinions upon the immediate cause of this lu-
minous property, and many experiments made
with very opposite results ; so we must, conclude
it uncertain, and be content with admiring the
effect. As I have nothing more to say on this
subject, my dear friend; I will, conclude for the
present; but it will not be long before I write

again... ewer A Ye

142 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY~

‘ ie.

LETTER XIV.

' Tuere is something very singular, my dear
Harriet, in the history of a species, called, by
Reaumur, Gall insects, from their resemblance
to galls. At the time of their birth, and for some
days after, they are extremely small and very:
active, running about the leaves and branches:
They are then something like small wood lice,
but they soon fix themselves and remain motion-.
less, and in this inanimate state they inerease im
size prodigiously, and appear like tubercles. on
the back. Some are as large or larger than peas,
and others as small as grains of pepper. Some
are circular, others semicircular, and others ob-
long. They lay thousands of eggs, but keep.
them under their bodies, thus sitting over and
in a manner hatching them; and when the
mother dies, which happens soon after, they.
find shelter and safety under the dried shell of
her body, which remains fastened to the back,
and serves them as a house, having a: little
glass in one part, which is the door. I have

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 143

seen a great number on a vine, in the green-
house, of an oblong shape. The male is a beau-
tiful little fly, the body, head, and legs of which
are of a deep red; the wings are very large in
proportion, semi-transparent and whitish, with a

border of bright red, which is their greatest or-
-nament. On the tail, which is long and pointed,
are two white filaments twice as long as the
wings. It is singular that there should be so
striking a difference between individuals of the
same species, but it is not the only instance ; the
glow-worm is a similar one.

I should have told you that they change their
skins or rather shells, but in a different manner
from other insects. They make various move-
ments and contortions, which split the outer
surface into thin transparent laminz or flakes,
which fall off; but as they are extremely slow
in their motions, this takes a long time to per-
form.

The Cochineal insect, the Kermes, or Coccus
Baphica, are of this species ; but Reaumur calls
them false Gall insects, from some differences
peculiar to them. The Cochineal, which is one
of the greatest objects of commerce in Mexico,
and is cultivated in that country alone, feeds on
a plant known by the names of opuntia, Indian

144 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

fig, or N. opal, from the juice of which it:is sup-
posed to derive its beautiful colours» Perhaps
the manner in which the Indians reap this curious
and profitable harvest may amuse yous, Round
their habitations they plant the N. opal,fromwhich
they expect many crops of the insect in theyear.
The last is gathered when the rainy season ap-
proaches, for bad weather is very destructive to
them, and to. preserve enough for the next year
the Indians cut off the leaves on which are the
young insects, and carry them into their houses
to keep them dry, and as the leaves/are® very
succulent they do not soon wither, | The*inséets
thus sheltered are nearly arrived at perfettion
when the rainy season is passed. They are then
in a manner sowed. The Indians make little
nests of moss, in which they place twelvevor
fourteen insects, and put them ‘between * the
leaves, or as they call them the pencas, sticking
them on the thorns. In three or four’days the
young ones are born, for we must remark that
they do not lay eggs like the other gall msects.
They are produced by thousands, and are, at
first, no bigger than .a pin’s point (at least it is
said so, but we must suppose it rather blunt),
and soon dispersing in every direction, begin
sucking the plant in the spot where they fix,

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 145

and where they soon attain their full size. At
this time the Indians scrape them off with their
_ long nails, leaving all the young ones already
bern, which in two or three months afford an-
other harvest. After this the rainy season re-
turns, and the Indians collect the young ones
of this last gathering to take under shelter. The
cochineal of the first-.gathering is esteemed the
best, and preduces the finest colour.

The Indians kill the insects, as soon as they
are collected, in various ways. Some put them
in, a basket which they plunge into hot water,
and after dry them in the sun. Others. have
small ovens in which, when heated, they spread
them .on. mats: these ovens are called tema-
seales...The Indian women bake their loaves
- and cakes..of maize on plates over a fire, and
they sometimes use these, which are called’
comales, to kill the cochineal, and on these dif-
ferent ways principally depend the colour and
quality. The best are those covered with a
whitish powder, and these are baked in the
_ ovens. :

~The Coccus polonicus, or Kermes of Poland,

is found on the roots of a plant, the polygonum

coceiferum, Caspari Bauhini. Towards the end

of June isthe proper time for gathering. Every
| H

146 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. —

grain is then nearly round, and of a violet purple.
Some are not larger than poppy seed, and-others
are as large as peppercorns... Each is halfjen-
closed in a kind of cup or calix, like an acorn,
which like that is rough outside and ;smooth
within. From the large grains, which are the
females, proceed grubs with six legs and two
antenne. In about a fortnight they remain
motionless, and their bodies become covered
with a cottony secretion, like down, extremely
white and fine. This down forms a kind of roof,
which is sometimes round and sometimes irre-
gular. They remain in repose, and covered
with this down, for five or six days, during
which each lays about a hundred and fifty eggs,
or more, which are found mingled or enveloped
with the down ; and indeed this seems its prin-
cipal use. Afterwards they die. Each of the
smallest grains, which are the males, produces
a grub towards the end of June, sometimes
covered with down and sometimes not, which
turns to a nymph or grub chrysalis, and re-
mains motionless till towards the middle of
June ; it afterwards turns to a small winged fly,
like that of the cochineal.

There are many other kinds of this insect,
which however nearly resemble each other, so

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 147

Ishall\ say nothing of them. I do not know
whether the species which infests the vine is to
be found in the open air; but if you have an
opportunity of seeking them ina greenhouse,
you may easily watch their growth. Adieu. I
shall soon write again. it 9

148 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

OMLETTER' XV. sq od donot
rs : ponisenst fit

I BELIEVE, my dear friend, that I have*not
yet mentioned several’ insects, ‘which’ have a
very unjust prejudice ‘and dislike attached’ to
their names, therefore I intend to expatiate a little
upon these unfortunate victims ‘of ‘calumny, and
try to vindicate their fame. Spiders are’ ‘in’ some
respects very amiable ; for instance, they ‘will éx-
pose their own lives to protect théit youlfig’ ones.
This wonderful attachment Bonnet’ puit'to a'de-
cisive test. He threw a spider’with her*bagof
eggs into the pitfall of a large lion-ant; ‘a ferocious
insect which conceals itself at the bottom of a
hole, and whose history I shall’ presently ‘give
you. The spider endeavoured to run away, but
was not sufficiently active to prevent’ her bag
from being seized, and pulled under the ‘sand
by her enemy. She struggled to”’prevent this
with all her might, and when the bag” gave way
from its fastening, she seized it with her jaws,
but in vain; the lion-ant was the stronger, and
dragged it under the sand. ''The ‘unfortunate

LETTERS-ON ENTOMOLOGY. 149

mother might have preserved her own life by
escaping, but she rather preferred being buried
alive with her treasure, and it was only by force
that Bonnet withdrew her from the danger, and
though he pushed: her away with a twig, she
still remained on the spot, and appeared incon-
solable. |

What can be more astonishing than the dis- ©
coveries.made by Leeuwenhoek’s microscope ?
He caleulates that the threads of the smallest
spider,,,some of which are not larger than a
grain of sand, are so fine that four millions of
them.would not equal one hair of the beard.
Each of these threads is formed of four thou-
sand others, the fineness of which it is im-
possibe to conceive; but I should first describe
* the spinning apparatus. Under the spider’s ab-
domen there are four or six little orifices or
spinners, every one of which is furnished with
a multitude of tubes, so numerous and so ex-
quisitely fine, that Reaumur counted a thousand
in. a space not bigger than a pin’s point. From
each of these proceeds an inconceivably fine
thread, which immediately unites with all the
rest. Four of these threads again unite lower
down, and form the common one we see in the
webs, which though sometimes nearly invisible,

150 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

is composed of at least four thousand’ others!
The house spider fixes her thread to one side*of
a corner, and walking along the wall tothe
other, draws it across and fixes the other end.
This thread she renders strong by repeating the
operation two or three times, and then draws
‘threads from it ‘in various directions, the inter-
stices of which she fills up by running from one
to the other, and thus connecting them. You
may often see the garden spiders at ‘work’ in ‘the
mornings of autumn, and it is highly ‘amusitig
to watch them. ‘They often have to'extend théir
main line across places apparently unconnected,
betwéen branches of trees, between buildings,
and even plants growing in the water.’ The
way in which they perform this is’ shown by
putting a spider on the top of a’ stick, having
the lower end in a vessel of water. After try-
ing all other modes of escape, it ‘will dart out
numerous fine threads, so light -as to float ‘in
the air, some one of which attaching ‘itself to a
neighbouring object, furnishes a bridge for its
escape. This is probably the means by which the
geometric spiders form their astonishing webs.
The threads of the house spider’ s web are all of
the same kind of silk, but the garden spider’s is
composed of two sorts; the radii are not ad-

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 151

hesive or sticky, but the circles are. If ex-
amined, with a. microscope, they will be found
studded with little shining drops like dew, formed
ofa viscid gum, which catches the insects that
alight ‘upon. it, like bird-lime.,.M. Q. D’Isjonval
asserts,.that; the geometric spiders, are, always
regulated by, the. future probable, state of the
atmosphere, and..that. if the weather is about to
be variable, wet;,and stormy, the main threads
which support the net. will. certainly be short ;
but. if fine: settled weather is commencing, they
will as, invariably be very long. _A prisoner of
war in.France;.I believe, amused. himself with
watching his spiders, and foretold. many very
important changes of the weather; indeed, if I
recollect right, ;his. little barometers. prpcpngt
* him.his freedom at last.

There are many others which do not trouble
themselves with making webs, but catch their
prey openly, or rather, I should say, in a less
artificial manner... Aranea atrox lurks in holes ;
Aranea calycina places herself at the bottom of
the calix of a.dead flower, and pounces. on ‘the
unwary flies that come for honey ; Aranea arun-
dinacea buries herself in the thick- panicle of+a
reed. Among the hunters the immense Aranea
avicularia, two inches long, is the principal ; it

152 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. —

lives in the South American woods, and was seid
to catch even small birds, but this has; been:
denied. by Langsdorf.. 5, sos oh) Aw
_ One spider actually makes a room, witha door
turning on a hinge, however surprising it may
appear to you. This reom is a subterraneous
gallery, upwards of two feet in length, and half
an inch broad. This tunnel, which is:very large
compared to the insect, is dug by: her strong.
jaws in a steep bank of clay., The next operation
is to line the whole with a web of fine:silk, which |
serves the double purpose of preventing the earth...
from falling in, and by its connexion with the.
orifice, giving notice of what is passing. | The
door is formed of several coats of dried earth,
fastened together with silk: when finished, its »
outline is as perfectly round as if traced with.
compasses ; the inside is convex and smooth, the.
outside flat and rough, and so like the surround-_
ing earth as not to be distinguishable. This.
door the ingenious spider fixes at the entrance
by a hinge of silk, which allows it to be opened
and shut with ease; and as if acquainted with.
the laws of gravity, she invariably fixes the hinge .
at the highest side of the opening, which you.
may remember is sloping, so that the door, when
pushed up, shuts! again with its own weight.

LETTERS'ON ENTOMOLOGY. 153

She also leaves'a littleedge or groove, just within
the-entrance; upon’ which the door closes, and
fits with the greatest precision. If the door is
a little raised, ‘the observer immediately feels a
strong resistance; which is) the spider ‘pulling
with all ‘her’ might to keep it close; but when
she finds‘it in vain, she-runs off. -If the door is
fastened down, there will bea new door the next
morning. ‘This:singular habitation is merely an
abode! fercthe*spider, which hunts in;the night,
and.carries the prey to devour at leisure at the
bottom» of her den, where the remains are often
found. « This: species) is ‘not uncommon in the
southiof France; © 50 ©

Weemust notopass over: clades aquatic apadény
who builds her enchanted airy palace under the
‘water First’she spins loose threads, in various
directions, ‘attached» to the leaves of aquatic
plants; and» spreads over them a transparent
varnish, which issues from the middle of her
spimners,and is) so extremely elastic, that if a
hole-bemade, it instantly closes again. Next she
spreads over her belly a pellicle of the same, and
ascends to the surface; itis not-exactly known
how she conveys acbubble of. air under: this
pellicle; but itis’ supposed that’ she draws it in,
and’ pumps it out, from an opening in the middle

154 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY:

of her body. Clothed with her garment of air,
she dives to the bottom, and transfers: it beneath
the prepared roof. She repeats this till the'roof
is raised by the quantity of air underneath; when
an apartment is formed between the inner sur-
face of the roof and the water below it ; and
here she lives quite at her ease, like’a sea nymph
in her enchanted cave. Both: sexes form: these
abodes, and sometimes share them with each
other, living peaceably together: This is the
wc European species. ¥

' Of all kinds, however, I think ~_ sie
spiders are the most curious. If you have never
heard of them before, you will doubtless be sur-
prised that any creature can fly without wings ;
yet they may truly be said to fly in their chariots
of gossamer, in which they quietly repose,,and
catch their prey as they sail along, Dr. Martin
Lister observed these webs falling from the sky,
and discovered in them more than once a spider.
On another occasion, while he was watching a
common spider, it suddenly turned upon -its
back, and darting forth a long thread, vaulted
upwards, and was carried to a,,considerable
height: he further discovered that. while they
fly in this manner, they pull in their thread with
their fore-feet so as to form it into a ball: in

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 155

this way: they go to a great height. One day in
the autumn, he went upon the highest steeple of
York minster, from which he saw the floating
webs still-very far above him; some spiders fell
down, and he found they were of a species which ©
never ‘enter houses. Many kinds have this
faculty, though only im their youth, or: half-
grown state. Mr: White witnessed a shower of
these gossamer ‘webs, the account of which may
amuse you. On the 2Ist.of September, 1741, he
rose before daybreak, and on going out, foundthe
whole country covered: with cobwebs drenched
in dew,’as if two or three nets had been drawn
over it. When his dogs attempted to hunt, their
eyes were-so blinded that they were obliged to
lie down-and scrape themselves. This appear=
“ance-was followed by a very fine day ; and about
nine o'clock a shower of webs; in flakes near an
inch broad, and five or six long, was observed
to begin, and continued falling all day with’con-
siderable velocity. ‘The flakes ‘hung so thick in
the trees and hedges, that baskets full might
have been collected. The use of these air-borne
chariots seems to be, to enable the spiders to
catch the ‘small flies which live high in the atmo-
coe for — ‘remains’ are often found in

156 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

If you share in the common and: wnjustpre-
judice against earwigs, you will perhaps be in-
duced to think more favourably of them when I
tell you that they guard and sit over their young
ones with all the care and affection of ,a. hen.
De Geer having found an earwig sitting on:her
eggs, removed her into a box, in which was some
earth, and scattered the eggs in all directions ;
she soon, however, collected them togethex, and
sat upon them as before. The young) ones;
which are like the mother in all but her wings;
and, strange to say, are, as soon)as born, larger
than the eggs which contained them, immediately
upon being hatched, creep like a brood of chickens
under the mother, who very quietly suffers them
to push between her feet, and will often, as)/De
Geer found, sit in this posture some hours. Does
not this fact make this poor little insect appear
in.a very amiable light? Perhaps you may not
know that earwigs have large wings, very cu-
riously folded up in small cases or elytra, like
those of beetles; they cannot, however, ad in
the day-time.

The lion-ant, which is an inhabitant of, the
south of Europe, is a most extraordinary insect,
and its curious proceedings have been minutely
detailed by Reaumur: it is the larva of the insect,

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 157

whose history I shall: give you. It belongs to
a ‘genus between the dragon-fly and the heme-
tobius; its length is ‘about half'an inch, and in
shape it resembles a woodlouse, though more
triangular : it -has six legs,» and the mouth’ is
armed with curved jaws like horns. It lives
upon the juices of other insects, chiefly ants ; but
as it always walks backwards and very slowly,
you may perhaps wonder how it gets any food,
particularly ast will not touch any animal it has
notipreviously killed, and then only sucks the
juices ;. but you will no longer wonder when
you hear of its admirable stratagem. It digs a
conical pit in loose sand, at the bottom of which
itches concealed to seize upon the unwary insects
that; going too near the brink, fall down the
* sides. It first finds’a soil of loose dry sand, near
which it is indeed generally placed by its mother,
and near some old wall or tree; it next traces a
circle in the sand, and proceeds to hollow it, by
standing on the inside of the circle, thrusting
the hind part of its body under the sand, and
using its fore-leg like a shovel to load its flat
square head; with which it jerks the: sand out-
side to the distance of some inches. Walking
backwards, and constantly repeating this process,
it soon. goes round the circle, when it proceeds

158 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY.

in another with equal address. We must'remark,
that it never loads its head with the sand: outside
the circle, but constantly uses the leg next the
centre, as if knowing that it is the middle only
that is to be excavated; and as one leg would
soon be fatigued with the labour, it turns round,
and traces the next furrow in the opposite ‘di-
rection. It often meets with small stones which
it puts on its head and jerks out; butif'apebble
presents itself which is too large for this, the
insect, by a particular manceuvre, lifts the stone
on its back, keeps it steady by the motion of its
segments, and walking up the side, lays it'down
on the top. When the stone is round, this task
becomes very difficult ; but the patient insect
has been seen to make‘ six unsuccessful attenipts,
and only accomplished it on the seventh: if it
finds its endeavours fruitless; it abandons the pit
and forms another. This pitfall is rather more
than two inches deep, about three inches wide ‘at
the top, and contracting to a point at the bottom.
The lion-ant takes its station at the bottom, being
concealed under the sand, all except the points
of its expanded forceps. Soon some unlucky
ant runs on the edge, perhaps to look down; but
the sand slides under her feet, and her struggles
only hasten-her descent; though if she should

LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 159

be able to stop midway, her cruel enemy, who
has six eyes on each side of his head, throws
showers, of sand from the bottom; which soon
precipitate her, into his jaws. These admirable
instruments are at the same time hooked for
holding, and hollow for sucking, and thus he
regales himself at his ease: the dry carcass he
jerks.out, and then resumes his station. The
insect remains two years in this state, and then
retiring under the sand, spins a cocoon, and after
remaining a chrysalis a few weeks, comes forth a
four-winged, msect resembling the dragon-fly,
and preying in, the same manner on moths,
butterflies, and other insects.

The larva of Rkagio vermilio, which resembles
a maggot, also makes use of this stratagem, with
ut, little variation. .Thus, my dear Harriet, we
see that nothing in nature is forgotten by a merci-
ful Providence ; and though we cannot, with our
limited understandings, conceive why the law of
nature should be destruction, or why even in-
sects, cannot, live without inflicting death on
other creatures, yet let us not presume to arraign,
even in thought, the inscrutable. ways of that
Being who is himself incomprehensible.

_.You may perhaps, be surprised that I have not
mentioned snails,. &c,; but,I believe they. do not

160 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLGOY.

properly come under the class of insects. Lin-
nus distinguishes them by the name of soft
bodied animals either with or without shells, so
we have nothing to do with them, particularly
as I have been obliged to omit so many of the
almost innumerable kinds of insects.

Though our correspondence must close here
for the present, I may perhaps resume the sub-
ject if I have an opportunity, and if you wish it ;
though my object has been chiefly to induce
you to pursue your inquiries in a more regular
manner and from more competent authorities.

I trust, my dear friend, that you will verify
the remark, that “ the more we know, the more

>

we wish to know ;” and also that your just ad-
miration of the beauties and excellencies of na-
ture will lead you to that deep and habitual
reverence of its great Author, which alone can
ensure you peace of mind through the changes

of life. Adieu!

THE END.

LONDON:
PRINTED BY THOMAS DAVISON, WHITEFRIARS.

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